Fairmont City Council poised to again condemn one of its members

FAIRMONT, W.Va (WDTV) - Fairmont City Council will vote to request the resignation of another one of its members this week.

Last month, Councilman Barry Bledsoe came under fire for calling Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris a “hoe” on Facebook. He retracted that part of his statement and apologized for using the word.

A little more than a week later, Bledsoe was again criticized for more social media comments, this time targeted at Del. Danielle Walker (D-Monongalia), the only Black lawmaker in Charleston from north-central West Virginia.

Bledsoe’s now-deleted comment said, “If you don’t get rid of that satanic Danielle Walker, you might as well give up!”

Despite widespread outrage and accusations or racism online, the councilman said the comments didn’t have anything to do with Walker’s race.

She was one of several people who spoke out against Bledsoe at the previous Fairmont City Council meeting. The speeches lasted for more than two hours.

Bledsoe, who recently recovered from a stint in the hospital after contracting COVID-19, did not attend the meeting. He did write a letter to apologize and said, “Do not let my poor choice reflect on the city of Fairmont.”

One of the final items of business on this week’s council agenda is a resolution to formally condemn Bledsoe.

The agenda reads: “Adoption, A Resolution Of The Council Of The City Of Fairmont, West Virginia Rebuking Councilmember Barry Bledsoe, Representative Of Council District Five; Condemning And Denouncing His Actions; And Requesting His Resignation Forthwith From The Council.”

The same governing body in July voted to ostracize Councilman David Kennedy after he made comments on social media that were criticized as being anti-feminist.

Kennedy remains on Council. He left the meeting where the body voted to formally condemn him before the topic was discussed.

This week’s meeting is set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Fairmont Public Safety Building.