Resolution of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia in Response to ICE Actions in Minnesota
Resolution of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia in Response to ICE Actions in Minnesota
Regarding the ICE Shooting in Minnesota and the Protection of Second Amendment Rights
Adopted by the Libertarian Party of West Virginia
WHEREAS, reports from Minnesota indicate that agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot a private citizen during an attempted apprehension, raising serious questions about the use of force, the circumstances of the encounter, and the transparency of federal law enforcement operations; and
WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party of West Virginia affirms that all individuals possess inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, and that government agents—federal, state, or local—must be held to the highest standards of accountability when exercising force; and
WHEREAS, early information surrounding the incident suggests potential implications for the exercise of Second Amendment rights, including whether the individual’s lawful possession of a firearm was treated as justification for escalated force by federal agents; and
WHEREAS, the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental constitutional protection that applies to all peaceful individuals, and the mere presence of a firearm—absent unlawful aggression—must never be construed as grounds for violence by government actors; and
WHEREAS, ICE has a documented history of opaque operations, civil liberties violations, and excessive use of force, and the people of West Virginia and the United States deserve full transparency and independent review whenever federal agencies harm or kill members of the public;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Libertarian Party of West Virginia condemns the unnecessary use of force by federal agents and calls for a full, independent, and public investigation into the Minnesota shooting, including the release of all recorded footage, operational reports, and all relevant evidence; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Libertarian Party of West Virginia calls for any ICE official involved in this and any other interaction with the public be held to the highest level of scrutiny, and accountable to the fullest extent of the law; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Libertarian Party of West Virginia demands that ICE and all federal law enforcement agencies adopt clear, constitutionally grounded policies that respect the rights of armed citizens and prohibit treating lawful firearm possession as a threat per se; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Libertarian Party of West Virginia urges West Virginia’s congressional delegation to support legislation increasing transparency, civilian oversight, and accountability mechanisms for ICE and other federal enforcement bodies; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Libertarian Party of West Virginia reaffirms its commitment to defending civil liberties, limiting federal overreach, and ensuring that no government agency operates above the law or beyond the scrutiny of the people it claims to serve.
For Media Inquiries: dustinblankenship@lpwv.org
“It’s Time for a Legislature That Trusts West Virginians, Not Bureaucrats”
“It’s Time for a Legislature That Trusts West Virginians, Not Bureaucrats”
Taylor Richmond, Chair of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia
As lawmakers return to Charleston for the upcoming legislative session, they face a simple question: Will they continue down the well-worn path of government expansion, or will they finally choose a future rooted in freedom, responsibility,
and trust in the people of West Virginia?
The Libertarian Party of West Virginia urges legislators to take bold action this year by embracing a slate of reforms that
reduce government’s footprint and empower individuals, families, and businesses. These are priorities, not fringe ideas
and include budget reduction and income tax elimination, certificate of need reform, medical freedom in schools, foster
care reform, and energy sector regulation reform. These are common-sense steps toward a freer, more prosperous
Mountain State.
Shrink the Budget and Kill the Income Tax
Mountaineers have been under a republican supermajority for well over a decade now. Despite the self-avowed principle
of less government, they have refused to take any significant actions to do so in West Virginia. They have regularly
boasted of a “flat” state budget. That flat budget has increased year over year. Meanwhile, they have relied on increased
tax revenue in other areas to meet their meager steps in fractionally reducing our state income tax. While we keep holding
out for a 0% state income tax, we see other states not only eliminate theirs but also begin to eliminate their personal
property taxes. Reducing our budget provides room to move more rapidly towards 0%. Reducing the state budget is not an act of austerity; it is an act of respect. It acknowledges that taxpayers know how to spend their own money better than politicians do. Eliminating the income tax would send a powerful message that West Virginia is open for business, open for innovation, and open for families who want to build a future here rather than flee to states with friendlier tax climates.
Certificate of Need Reform: Ending Protectionism in Healthcare
West Virginia’s Certificate of Need (CON) laws are a textbook example of government overreach. These laws force
industry providers to beg the state for permission to expand services, purchase equipment, open new facilities, or even
enter the marketplace, all while existing providers can object to their competition. The Cardinal Institute has shown West
Virginia to be one of the most burdened states by CON laws. Last session, we heard that the healthcare industry prevented any discussion on the matter due to issues with federal funding for rural healthcare. If that remains an issue, we urge the legislature to work with our Congressional delegation to address these matters, but address the other industries burdened by these onerous laws. Reforming or eliminating CON laws will unleash innovation and expand access to care, especially in underserved areas.
Medical Freedom in Schools
Parents, not bureaucrats, should make medical decisions for their children. The Libertarian Party of West Virginia supports
policies that respect parental autonomy and ensure that families, and not state agencies, have the final say in matters of health and education. Mountaineer parents should have the freedom to make medical decisions, consult with doctors, and
discuss care needs with their children without state intervention. Medical freedom is not a partisan issue; it is a
fundamental civil liberty. West Virginia can lead the nation in trusting parents to make informed decisions without
coercion or mandates. To that end, the legislature should not wait on the courts to send that message, they should be brave enough to make it themselves.
Foster Care Reform
West Virginia continues to struggle under the heartbreaking burden of having some of the highest rates of children in
foster care in the country. Like with every other issue, the solution is not found in more state spending.
We encourage the legislature to listen to current foster families, as well as those who have been denied being a foster care family to understand what roadblocks are making the process difficult. As with other areas where the government tries to make things better and safer, they have over-burdened the process and in their altruistic aims. To that point, we are
thankful to the wonderful churches and non-profit organizations in our state are kept of helping lift this burden.
Energy Sector Regulation Reform: Let West Virginia Power West Virginia
Our state is rich in energy resources, yet overregulation continues to stifle innovation, investment, and job creation.
Whether it’s coal, natural gas, renewables, or emerging technologies, West Virginia should be the best place in America to
produce energy, not one of the hardest. Just this week, many families in Mingo County and surrounding areas were met
with increased electric bills jumping in price by up to $200 extra per household with seemingly no explanation.
Reforming energy regulations would allow companies to innovate, diversify, and grow. It would also strengthen our grid,
lower costs for consumers, and ensure that West Virginia remains a national leader in energy production. At the same time, billing should be clear, and any fraudulent actors should be held responsible for hurting the people of the Mountain State.
A Call for Courage
These reforms share a common thread: they trust West Virginians to make decisions for themselves. That is the essence of lliberty. It is also the foundation of a thriving society. The Libertarian Party of West Virginia calls on lawmakers of all parties to demonstrate courage this session. Break with the old habits of bureaucracy and paternalism. Choose freedom. Choose prosperity. Choose to trust the people who call this state home. We will be watching to see what members rise to the occasion, and which will continue to fail our state motto.
West Virginia’s future depends on it.
For Media Inquiries Contact
Dustin S. Blankenship, JD
Director of Outreach, Libertarian Party of West Virginia
Email: dustinblankenship@lpwv.org
2026 Legislative Session Preview (DB) document for release.
LPWV criticizes Governeror’s deployment of WVNG to DC
Libertarian Party of WV Criticizes Governor’s Deployment of WV National Guard to Washington, D.C.
(Charleston, WV) – August 17, 2025 – The Libertarian Party of West Virginia (LPWV) strongly criticizes Governor Morrissey’s recent decision to deploy West Virginia National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. While this action may have some popularity within the party that controls WV politics, it flies in the face of the proper constitutional role of our Guard.
“Our National Guard exists to protect West Virginia, not to be dispatched at the whim of federal politicians for operations outside our state,” said LPWV Chairman Taylor Richmond. “When our citizens need assistance with floods, storms, or emergencies, those soldiers should be here and not serving as pawns in federal power struggles.”
This decision underscores the urgent need for the Defend the Guard movement, which seeks to prohibit the deployment of state National Guard units into active combat or federal service without a formal declaration of war by Congress. The Founders vested the power to declare war solely with Congress, not the President, and not state governors acting under federal pressure.
“Sending our Guard to Washington for political theater erodes both state sovereignty and individual liberty,” added Dustin Blankenship, LPWV spokesperson. “West Virginians should demand that their representatives support Defend the Guard legislation and put an end to this misuse of our citizen soldiers.”
The LPWV reaffirms its commitment to defending civil liberties, limiting government overreach, and ensuring that West Virginia’s sons and daughters are not deployed unless Congress follows the Constitution and declares war.
For Media Inquiries Contact:
Dustin S. Blankenship, JD
Director of Outreach, Libertarian Party of West Virginia Email: dustinblankenship@lpwv.org
www.lpwv.org
LPWV Statement on Sanders
(Parkersburg, WV) – Chairman of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia, Taylor Richmond, issued the following statement regarding the tour of West Virginia being held by Senator Bernie Sanders in the coming days.
Senator Bernie Sanders’ visit to West Virginia is a political spectacle that highlights the ongoing failure of both major parties to deliver meaningful results for the people of this state.
While Sanders continues to champion massive federal programs and sweeping government interventions, the truth is that top-down solutions from Washington have repeatedly failed West Virginians. Decades of Democratic leadership in key areas of the state have left behind crippled economies, stagnant opportunity, and broken communities. Their policies have centralized power, expanded dependency, and ignored the entrepreneurial spirit and self-reliance that once defined this region and state.
But let’s not let the Republicans off the hook either. They talk a big game about freedom, but when push comes to shove, they vote for bloated budgets, handouts to corporations, and federal overreach just the same. Whether it’s supporting crony capitalism, the war on drugs, or unchecked surveillance, Republicans in West Virginia have consistently abandoned the principles of limited government.
Sanders’ presence here is a reminder that both parties are more interested in power than progress. Libertarians believe in a different path forward that trusts individuals over institutions, decentralizes authority, and unleashes innovation through freedom. We don’t need another big government program or hollow populist promise. We need to get government out of the way so West Virginians can build a better future on their own terms.
It’s time to reject the false choice between failed Democrats and hypocritical Republicans. Liberty, personal responsibility, and local control. This is the only path forward for West Virginia. That is the path the Libertarian Party of West Virginia offers.
For media inquiries contact:
Dustin S. Blankenship,
Director of Outreach
Libertarian Party of West Virginia dustinblankenship@lpwv.org
www.lpwv.org
Montani Semper Libertarian
Recently, we celebrated West Virginia Day which got me thinking about West Virginia’s state motto. Montani Semper Liberi, “Mountaineers are Always Free” echoes through the hollers and hills with a quiet intensity. It’s a declaration of rugged self-determination, a creed born not in theory but in the daily choices of people who’ve lived close to the land, skeptical of outside interference, and proudly independent. But here’s the paradox: West Virginia, by culture and heritage, is a deeply libertarian state. Its people just don’t realize it yet.
Look beyond party lines and what you’ll find is a spirit deeply aligned with the values of libertarianism. A deep distrust of federal overreach. A fierce protection of the Second Amendment. A belief in personal responsibility. A desire to be left alone by bureaucracy, red tape, and the elite who think they know what’s best for “Appalachia.”
West Virginians know how to fix their trucks, grow their food, and raise their families, and they don’t want anyone else trying to take away that right. They don’t ask for much—just the space to live their lives with dignity. That’s not just rural conservatism. That’s textbook libertarianism.
So why don’t West Virginians call themselves libertarians? Part of the answer lies in political branding. “Libertarian” is often misunderstood, wrapped up in abstract debates or lumped in with fringe politics. While well-meaning, many libertarians get drawn into the minutia of complex economic or social debate. Meanwhile, the Democratic and Republican parties have dominated the political map for so long that people often vote out of tradition, frustration, or habit—not philosophical alignment.
But dig into the conversations at a VFW hall, a volunteer fire department, or a mom and pop restaurant in Mingo County, and you’ll hear libertarian themes everywhere. Frustration with government mandates. Resentment of taxation that doesn’t return in services. A belief that communities—not bureaucrats—should take care of their own.
With each generational shift, each federal misstep, each tone-deaf policy pushed from afar, the libertarian alignment of West Virginia becomes clearer. Younger voters, especially, show signs of questioning old labels. They’re tired of the endless left-right tug-of-war and are searching for an ideology that matches their values of freedom, privacy, and local control.
West Virginia isn’t waiting to be “converted” to libertarianism—it’s already libertarian in spirit. What it lacks is awareness and articulation. When that alignment finally clicks, when Mountaineers connect their cultural DNA with a political philosophy that fits like an old work glove, West Virginians won’t just aspire to be free. They’ll be consciously, actively, and proudly free..
And maybe then, our motto will ring not just as a statement of identity, but as a call to political awakening: Montani Semper Libertarian.
-Taylor Richmond is a lifelong West Virginian, Morgantown resident, and Chairman of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia. He may be reached for comment at chair@lpwv.org. For more information on the Libertarian Party of West Virginia, go to http://lpwv.org.
This article has been picked up by:
WV News
State Journal
Preston News
Jacskson Newspapers
Morgantown News
Sentinel
Exponent Telegram
Herald Dispatch
Charleston Gazette-Mail
US Bombs Iran – A Libertarian Perspective
