Betrayal Runs Deep

If you are a fan of Mel Gibson's historical film, Braveheart, you'll recall the incredible battlefield scene of William Wallace being stunned by the betrayal of the man he believed to be a friend and advocate of his cause-- Robert the Bruce.  No words are spoken, everything is revealed in the eyes, the window to the soul.  As the deception takes root, Wallace lays down on the battlefield, implying the absolute destruction of his will to go on. 

Dramatic, yes, but that scene is not so far removed from the betrayal felt by people in Fayette County over the past week after the arrest of former WV Delegate David Elliott Pritt.

He was often praised by people in his county, on both sides of the political aisle, for being accessible to their concerns regarding a wide variety of issues.  From water and sewage problems, to veteran causes and the second amendment, to problems with PEIA and advocating for school teachers.  And foremost among the issues he championed was protecting children. 

Indeed, when Beacon News WV first interviewed Pritt in 2023 (Episode 28), as he was changing political affiliation from Democrat to Republican, he said, "I no longer in good conscience could remain where I was."  And inquiring about why he entered the political arena he responded: "...this community gave so much to me..this county gave me my foundation and I wanted to give back." 

When he was asked in the same interview,  "What are some of your conservative values?"

He replied, "So, for me, we had a couple of votes this year, specifically House Bill 2007 that would block permanent gender reassignment surgery for kids.  And I was the only Democrat that voted for it. And, for me, that was kind of like the total wake up call, the total opening of my eyes to what was going on.    ...we're talking about children... there was no room in that conversation for discussion...it was simply, if you don't vote against this, then you're a bigot. ..I could not deal with that land of absolutes." 

Most egregious, years later in 2026, the former delegate portrayed himself as advocating for the safety of children in the context of public schools and CPS under the banner of Raylee's Law.

Multiple media outlets shared a photograph of Pritt crying at his desk after heated debates and amendment votes on the inadequate bill went down to the wire at the end of the 2026 Legislative Session. The bill was defeated in the last minutes of the session. 

Ironically, this legislation would have given public school teachers more control over children whose parents wanted to remove them from public school if a CPS investigation was underway. Pritt and others had argued that since teachers are mandatory reporters for CPS, they are in a position of safe keeping for vulnerable children.   

Let that land for a moment.

Oddly, after adjournment of the Regular Legislative Session, Pritt shared the articles featuring the photograph of himself in tears multiple times on social media platforms. It was as if he desired to evoke a shared pathos with constituents and highlight his heroism in fighting for children. 

The fact that this drama took place within the timeframe of the allegations against Pritt is almost inconceivable.