Paging Delegate Thompson

MIA Delegate Ron Thompson faces an ultimatum over his prolonged, widely reported absence from the Legislature.

House Speaker Rick Thompson (no relation) has given the Raleigh County Democrat until Jan. 25 to explain his failure to appear, or say whether he plans to take his oath of office.

The state constitution says lawmakers forfeit their seats when they refuse to take the oath, and the speaker says he'll treat Thompson's failure to reply as such a refusal. The speaker says he may leave the final decision with the House Rules Committee.

The speaker has also blocked Thompson's salary pending a response to a registered letter mailed to the no-show delegate.

Voters were put on notice about Thompson's continued absence before they elected him to a seventh, two-year in November. While he initially spoke to media last year, I don't believe he's responded to requests for comment since the election. I think the closest the press has gotten to him this year has been a sister.

UPDATE: Here's the story. MetroNews also has a report, along with audio from two of Thompson's less truant Raleigh County colleagues.