SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Rep. Matt Shea (R-Spokane Valley) made three posts on his personal Facebook account on Wednesday, with one directly calling out the media and another referencing his "detractors."
Shea has been in the headlines recently after a report from the British newspaper The Guardian showed ties between Shea and a biblical warfare training group based in Stevens County named "Team Rugged."
Many local leaders, candidates and group have called on Shea to be expelled from the Washington State Legislature or to be expelled by his colleagues.
Spokane Mayor David Condon released a statement saying its time for Shea to resign.
"Our nation, our state, and our city only work because our citizens have granted authority to the leaders they elect to serve them. When an elected official’s personal actions threaten the public trust in our public institutions and foundational principles, it’s time for that person to resign. This is where Rep. Shea finds himself," the statement reads.
Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl also released a statement, saying Shea no longer deserves the "privilege" of serving as a representative.
"Recent revelations surrounding Rep. Shea seem to reveal an attitude of judge, jury and executioner. Our Founding Fathers warned against despotism, which resulted in the three separate branches of government we follow today," the statement reads. "Furthermore our government is of the people, by the people and for the people. Rep. Shea seems to have lost these founding principles somewhere along the way when he advocated for illegal and inappropriate behavior against others. Serving others as a voice of the people, in line with our Constitution, is a privilege that his behavior would seem to indicate he no longer deserves.”
Shea's first post links to a Facebook post by a group called "Freedom Hard" about a alleged leader of Antifa being arrested during protests in Portland last weekend.
The post also links to an article by The New American, a conservative news magazine, about the protests and arrests of the Antifa leader.
"I TOTALLY MISSED THE LOCAL MSM [Mainstream Media] REPORTING ON THE ANTIFA RIOT IN PORTLAND OVER THE WEEKEND," the post begins. It ends by talking about the alleged Antifa leader.
The second post was a video made by a supporter that pledges they will stand with Shea in the light of recent reports.
The video, which is a little over five minutes long, features clips from Shea's television appearances, parts of his speeches from rallies and testimonies from supporters on why they vote for him.
"Stand. Thank you to my supporters for putting together the video," the second post reads.
The final post contains a photo from his latest "Freedom Fundraiser," which he claims was the biggest in the history of the annual event.
All of the posts have comments supporting Shea and they've all been shared multiple times.
The following video is a report on which Spokane candidates have called for Shea's resignation.