CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A 42-year-old West Virginia man has pleaded guilty to felony assault, admitting that last year he hit a state Senate candidate, who suffered broken bones to his face and was later elected.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail (https://bit.ly/2pj8lBa ) reports that Jonathan Porter of Holden entered the plea Wednesday.
His trial for assaulting Sen. Richard Ojeda (oh-JED’-ah) last May at a political cookout in Logan County was scheduled to begin Monday.
Ojeda was attacked just days before he defeated the incumbent senator, Art Kirkendoll, in a Democratic primary.
In court Wednesday, Porter told the judge he had a fight with Ojeda, punched him and knocked him out.
Ojeda has said Porter hit him with brass knuckles and then tried to run him over with a pickup.
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