dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN – Soon-to-be Sen. Jim Justice won’t do it for Babydog.
That is, he won’t be bringing West Virginia’s First Canine to the U.S. Senate floor.
Justice – currently state governor – issued a statement late Tuesday evening in response to an Axio article on reported discussions about Babydog’s possible appearances on the floor.
“Today, a Senator-Elect was asking about the rules regarding children on the floor of the U.S. Senate,” he said. “Senator-Elect Bernie Moreno jokingly asked about dogs and mentioned Babydog in jest. I told them they do not have to worry about Babydog on the Senate floor.
“I knew and was aware,” Justice said, “in fact I said it during the campaign, that Babydog cannot be on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Babydog will be with me frequently in Washington, and we welcome everyone to come by my office and say hello and meet Babydog when she is there. Just like she has loved and made so many people smile in West Virginia, she will do that in Washington too.”
Justice was at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday for Senate orientation. The Axios report used unnamed sources who said Justice was told he could not bring Babydog onto the Senate floor.
Axios said, “Justice was told by Senate floor staff that only service dogs are allowed onto the floor of the Senate, and that even in that case there would need to be an analysis on potential allergies.”
Axios noted that other senators bring their dogs to Capitol Hill and sometimes walk the halls with them.
Justice’s announcement makes moot the question of whether Babydog would have to appear on the floor in business attire, following the Senate’s September 2023 adoption of a bipartisan resolution from Sens. Joe Manchin and Mitt Romney to codify the Senate dress code.
The resolution came in response to freshman Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who prefers to walk the Capitol halls in shorts and a hoodie and was casting votes at the Senate doorway in order to avoid changing clothes.
The resolution says, “An individual on the floor of the Senate shall abide by the Senate floor dress code.” That is defined as “a requirement that business attire be worn on the floor of the Senate, which for men shall include a coat, tie, and slacks or other long pants.”
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito was tied up Wednesday in leadership election meetings and was unable to provide comment. Sen. Joe Manchin did not respond.
