Representative
Roger West
Member of the
North Carolina House of Representatives
In office
May 5, 2000 – January 1, 2017
Preceded byJames C. Carpenter[1]
Succeeded byKevin Corbin
Constituency53rd District (2000-2003)
120th District (2003-2017)[2]
Personal details
Born
(1948-11-01) November 1, 1948

Murphy, North Carolina[3]
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJudy[4]
Children2[4]
ResidenceMarble, North Carolina[2]
OccupationOwner of West Construction Inc.[5]
WebsiteRoger West for House
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1968–1971 Active Duty[5]

Thomas Roger West (born November 1, 1948) is a former Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives representing the state's 120th district, including constituents in Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties.[2] A contractor from Marble, North Carolina, West served 8.5 term in the state House.

Possum drop law

Representative West represented Brasstown, North Carolina, which holds an annual "Possum Drop"[6] on New Year's Eve, which involves capturing a wild opossum, enclosing it in a clear plastic box, suspending it high in the air, and lowering it to the ground with the countdown to midnight. During the suspension and lowering, fireworks are set off, muskets are fired, crowds of people scream, and loud music is played.[7] The possum is later released. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a lawsuit in October 2013 attempting to outlaw the practice, claiming it makes it likely that the possum will die from stress-related ailments within days or weeks.[8]

West was the sponsor of a law in the North Carolina House that exempts opossums from state wildlife laws from Dec. 26, 2014 to Jan. 2, 2015 in Clay County, where the drop is held.[9] West jokingly noted when asked by another committee member that the marsupial community was in support of the bill. Its consideration was met with some joking by committee members and passed easily.[10]

References

  1. ↑
  2. 1 2 3 "Representative Roger West (Republican, 2011-2012 Session)". North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "North Carolina Manual ... - North Carolina. Secretary of State - Google Books". 2003. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  4. 1 2 "North Carolina manual [serial]".
  5. 1 2 "Roger West for House Biography". Rogerwestforhouse.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  6. ↑ New Years Eve Lowering of the Opossum
  7. ↑ PETA Files Lawsuit to Stop Opossum Drop, 30 October 2013
  8. ↑ 'Possum drop' to ring in new year in North Carolina mountain town
  9. ↑ Clay County Opossum Exclusion/Wildlife Laws.
  10. ↑ "House grants Possum Drop loophole from wildlife regs". 27 May 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-28.


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