The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has dismissed a petition from state Democrats claiming a member of their party should fill a House seat vacated by a lawmaker who was arrested for threatening other delegates. Last year, Joseph de Soto was elected to represent the 91st District in Berkeley County as a Republican. After securing the win, de Soto was accused of threatening to kill several other delegates after they voted to remove him from his position. de Soto switched his party affiliation to Democrat and was arrested for making terroristic threats. The House declared de Soto’s seat vacant after he missed taking an oath of office. Governor Morrisey appointed Republican Ian Masters, a Gerrardstown-based lawyer and president of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League as a replacement. The high court decided petitioners’ claims “fail on multiple grounds,” stating Democrats didn’t provide a 30-day notice for the suit.