West Virginia Delegate denies ties to antisemitic social media post to Barstool Sports founder, Calls made for resignation

BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. — State Delegate Ian T. Masters, R-Berkeley, is denying allegations linking him to antisemitic and white supremacist comments posted from an Instagram account that previously displayed his name and was associated with an organization he recently led, according to reporting by West Virginia Watch.

The controversy began when the Instagram account, using the handle @NoQuarterMasters, made a derogatory remark targeting Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, describing him in explicitly antisemitic terms.

Until recently, the account publicly displayed Masters’ name and provided a link to the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, a Second Amendment group Masters presided over from 2015 until January 2025.

West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin, responding to the allegations, described the comment attributed to Masters as “disgusting, dangerous, and completely disqualifying.” Pushkin called upon Governor Patrick Morrisey and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw to demand Masters’ immediate resignation.

He urged Hanshaw to conduct a thorough investigation, including forensic examinations of Masters’ digital accounts and devices, to confirm the account’s ownership and activity.

Masters, in an interview with West Virginia Watch, categorically denied making the antisemitic statement, claiming he did not operate any active Instagram accounts.

However, shortly after his conversation with the news outlet, the Instagram account changed its display name from “Ian T. Masters” to “I. Masters” and removed references to the Citizens Defense League.

Furthermore, Instagram confirmed that the last digits of the phone number associated with the account match those of Masters’ personal phone.

The profile picture of the account prominently displayed a letter addressed to “Ian” in West Virginia, partially obscured by symbols identified by the Anti-Defamation League as commonly used by neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups.

Chairman Pushkin, while hopeful that Masters is not the author of the remarks, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability, outlining detailed steps necessary for a legitimate inquiry into the allegations, including investigating the profile picture’s origins, analyzing the suspicious timing of changes to the Instagram profile, and confirming the authenticity of the letter.

Tammy Offutt, Chair of the Berkeley County Democratic Executive Committee, criticized Governor Morrisey for appointing Masters, asserting the district deserved better representation.

Ali Ann, spokesperson for House Speaker Hanshaw, acknowledged Hanshaw’s willingness to address such allegations seriously, though noted limitations on disciplinary actions since Masters was appointed, not elected, to his seat.

Masters was appointed to the House seat after controversy surrounding his predecessor, Joseph de Soto, who faced charges for threatening lawmakers shortly after his election and subsequent party switch.

Masters currently serves on committees related to Health and Human Resources and Public Health.

None of the legislation he sponsored this session passed, although a related Senate bill on vaccine requirements did become law.

West Virginia Watch reported that Morrisey’s office has not responded to requests for comment.

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