Ousted GOP Chair Cornelius Prevails In Court

Nearly three years after being removed from his positions, Rob Cornelius, the former chairman and elected member of the Wood County Republican Executive Committee, got his day in court Thursday.

Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Joanna Tabit ruled Thursday in favor of Cornelius after he filed suit over his removal from the Wood County Republican Executive Committee by former West Virginia Republican Executive Committee Chairwoman Melody Potter in 2019.

“The removal process was fundamentally, in my view, unfair,” Tabit said. “It was fundamentally unfair because it subverted the intention of the voters of Wood County. I don’t think it is appropriate for a party chairperson to unilaterally remove an elected official from office when the voters of Wood County have elected that official through the democratic process. That, in my view, is problematic.”

Tabit held a virtual hearing Thursday afternoon in Cornelius’ case against Secretary of State Mac Warner and Potter.

Tabit’s ruling restores Cornelius as a member of the county committee and as chairperson. Tabit also ordered the Secretary of State to accept a list of county executive committee members submitted by Cornelius after Potter made changes to the committee’s membership.

“We need to remove that list that has been submitted to the Secretary of State because I don’t believe that list was proper because there wasn’t proper procedure that was followed,” Tabit said.

“Mr. Cornelius should be reinstated to the executive committee and was duly voted as chair of the executive committee by those members of the Wood County executive committee, the previous members — those members that were elected in 2018 — and I think that is what needs reflected on the website,” Tabit continued.

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