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Delegate Michael Folk, a Berkeley County Republican and commercial pilot who called for the public execution of Hillary Clinton has been suspended by his employer, pending an investigation.
“This pilot has been removed from flying pending our investigation,” United Airlines wrote on its Twitter account Sunday evening. “We are appalled by his threatening comments.”
On Friday afternoon Folk wrote on his Twitter account that Clinton “should be tried for treason, murder, and crimes against the US Constitution ... then hung on the Mall in Washington, DC.”
United had previously written that it was looking into Folk’s statement and that it was “appalled by comments advocating harm to anyone.”
House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, said that Folk’s comments were not representative of House Republicans and condemned calls for violence.
“It is unfortunate that the national campaign has become so emotionally charged,” Armstead said.
Folk had previously irked House Republican leadership. He is a member of the loosely defined House liberty caucus, a group with similarities to the tea party, comprised of many of the House’s most conservative members. He was one of two Republican delegates who, after meeting with Democrats during budget negotiations in May, was shunned from the Republican caucus.
“Let me make clear that Delegate Folk is not a part of the leadership team of the House and his comments are his own and do not represent our Republican Caucus,” Armstead said in a prepared statement. “While I, along with members of our caucus and leadership team, have great concerns about Hillary Clinton’s views, actions and positions, particularly as they relate to our energy industry, we certainly condemn any calls for violence against her or any other person.”
Folk did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. Reached by phone on Saturday, Folk said that he sent the message after watching a congressional hearing on Clinton’s handling of classified emails.
He said his statement was hyperbolic.
“What I called for is for her to be tried and the maximum penalty for treason is death,” Folk said Saturday. “Technically it’s not death by hanging ...”
As of Saturday afternoon he said he had not been contacted by United.
State Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas was also critical.
“Delegate Folk chose his words very poorly, and in the era of social media even hyperbolic statements can go radioactive,” Lucas said. “I think he should be given the chance to clarify his remarks, and then it’s time to move on.”
State Senate President Bill Cole, the Republican candidate for governor, said that Folk’s “proposed punishment” was “wrong and inappropriate.”
“But Hillary Clinton must be held accountable for what FBI Director James Comey called ‘extremely careless behavior,’” Cole wrote on Twitter.
Folk found modest support from fellow Republican and liberty caucus delegates on Twitter over the weekend.
In regard to Folk, Delegate Michael Ihle, R-Jackson, wrote: “No need to defend someone who merely said what millions of Republicans, Democrats, and independents are thinking.”
Delegate Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock, wrote: “Irony. Mike’s ‘unfit to serve’ [because] he voices in a tweet what’s on the minds of millions - Hillary’s a criminal.”
Folk has since deleted his tweet about Clinton and has made his Twitter account private, meaning his messages can only be read by people who he has approved.
The state Democratic Party called for Folk to resign.
Folk was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2012. He began as a pilot with United in 2008, according to his LinkedIn profile, after working at ExpressJet Airlines from 2000 to 2008.
Reach David Gutman at david.gutman@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5119 or follow @davidlgutman on Twitter.
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OP: Hyperbolic my ass, he meant it. I hope United fires him and the Secret Service pay him a visit. I debated about adding the Hillary Clinton tag since she's not actively involved, but since it is a threat against her life I figured it should be included.