Rep. Matt Shea allegedly engaged in domestic terrorism
Dec 19, 2019, 4:26 PM | Updated: 5:47 pm
Washington State Representative Matt Shea participated in domestic violence against the United States government, according to a state House investigation report.
A House report alleges that Shea, as a leader in the Patriot Movement, “planned, engaged in, and promoted a total of three armed conflicts of political violence against the United States Government in three states outside of Washington over a three-year period.”
Minority Leader Rep. JT Wilcox said via Twitter that Shea should resign.
Rep. Matt Shea has been suspended from any role in the House Republican Caucus. He should resign. He cannot use House Republican staff, he cannot meet with the caucus, his office will be moved. https://t.co/AATHOHuO31
— Rep. JT Wilcox (@jtwilcox111) December 20, 2019
According to the House’s report, Shea engaged in armed conflict at Bunkerville, Nevada in April 2014, the conflict at Priest River, Idaho in 2015, engaged in calls and planning of the 2016 takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and met with refuge armed occupiers in Burns, Oregon.
Rep. Jim Walsh (R-Aberdeen) reminded KTTH’s Jason Rantz that Thursday’s report is the start of a long process and at this point it is a series of allegations. However, he acknowledges the seriousness of the claims.
“I want to talk to Matt and see what he has to say,” Walsh said. “As long as he is a duly elected member of the Legislature, I would be able to work with him.”
The independent investigation was conducted by the Rampart Group LLC Investigators for the Washington State House of Representatives.