C. Wesley Morgan

Morgan grew up in Leslie County, Kentucky.{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondregister.com/news/election-2016-81st-house-district-c-wesley-morgan/article_1d64af38-9d4d-11e6-aff7-07f571df1a20.html|title=ELECTION 2016 81st House District: C. Wesley Morgan|first=Bill Robinson/|last=brobinson@richmondregister.com|website=Richmond Register|date=October 28, 2016 }} He graduated from Leslie County High School,{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondregister.com/news/morgan-seeks-election-to-houses-81st-district/article_b98d093c-ed5d-11e5-bad8-0b63f6731aad.html|title=Morgan seeks election to House's 81st District|website=Richmond Register|date=March 19, 2016|accessdate=July 22, 2022}} Cumberland College, and Eastern Kentucky University.{{Cite web |title=U.S. Senate: Morgan feels McConnell 'undermining our constitutional rights' |url=https://www.thenewsjournal.net/u-s-senate-morgan-feels-mcconnell-undermining-our-constitutional-rights/ |access-date=2022-08-09}}

After working as a criminal investigator for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms as a young man, Morgan returned to Richmond, Kentucky, and opened a liquor store in 1982. Eventually, he opened a large business called Liquor World and became wealthy.{{cite news | last =Robertson | first =Campbell | title = He Built a Home to Survive a Civil War. Tragedy Found Him Anyway.: C. Wesley Morgan once believed that the place he built, which included a 2,000-square-foot bunker, was the safest house in Kentucky.| newspaper =New York Times | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =July 21, 2022 | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/21/us/kentucky-bunker-civil-war.html| accessdate =July 22, 2022}} He expanded Liquor World into a chain of four stores.{{cite news | last =Ward | first =Karla | title =C. Wesley Morgan, politician injured in shooting, is businessman and former lawmaker| newspaper = Lexington Herald Leader| location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = February 26, 2022| url =https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/madison-county/article258655458.html | accessdate =July 22, 2022 }}

Morgan ran for the Kentucky House of Representatives in the 81st district in the 2014 elections. He lost to Democrat Rita Smart, the incumbent. In November 2016, buoyed by strong local support for Donald Trump, Morgan defeated Smart, receiving 9,056 votes to 8,980 for Smart, a margin of just 76 votes.{{cite news | last =Robinson | first =Bill | title =Morgan beats Smart by 76 votes | newspaper =Richmond Register | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = November 8, 2016| url =https://www.richmondregister.com/news/morgan-beats-smart-by-76-votes/article_d5efe77e-a631-11e6-b772-eb28598fd1d7.html | accessdate =July 22, 2022 }}

Early in his single term, Morgan was criticized for introducing legislation that would have benefitted the liquor industry.{{cite news | last =Robinson | first =Bill | title = Critics call Morgan's bills self-serving | newspaper =Richmond Register| location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =January 7, 2017 | url =https://www.richmondregister.com/news/critics-call-morgan-s-bills-self-serving/article_d52f5170-d850-11e6-82ad-4bf80427e1c1.html | accessdate =July 22, 2022 }} Democratic legislators criticized Morgan for introducing bills that would have immunized drivers who hit protesters in roads and would have allowed teachers to carry guns at school.

Morgan clashed with Republican leaders as well. In November 2017, he called for the resignation of Republican Jeff Hoover, Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives, after the news emerged that Hoover had secretly settled a sexual harassment case brought by a female staffer.

{{cite news | last =Staff | first = | title =KY State Rep. Wesley Morgan calls for impeachment of Hoover | newspaper =WKYT | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =November 3, 2017 | url =https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/KY-State-Rep-Wesley-Morgan-calls-for-impeachment-of-Hoover-455047893.html | accessdate =July 22, 2022 }} Hoover resigned as speaker, but kept his house seat.

Morgan lost renomination to the Kentucky House to Deanna Frazier in the 2018 elections.{{cite web|url=https://www.richmondregister.com/news/state-rep-morgan-files-suit-against-gop-challenger-frazier/article_d131526c-808d-11e8-983d-0b040450cc7c.html |title=State Rep. Morgan files suit against GOP challenger Frazier | News |publisher=richmondregister.com |date=July 5, 2018 |access-date=January 14, 2020}} Upset with his defeat, Morgan endorsed the Democratic nominee in the race.{{cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/23/wesley-morgan-support-democrat-after-kentucky-house-primary-loss/636564002/ |title=Wesley Morgan will support Democrat after Kentucky House primary loss |publisher=Courier-journal.com |date= |accessdate=2022-07-23}} Morgan unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination in the 2020 U.S. Senate election in Kentucky against Mitch McConnell, placing second with 6.2% of the vote.{{cite web| url = https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article230935263.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190529234757/https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article230935263.html| archive-date = 2019-05-29| title = Former Kentucky lawmaker takes on McConnell in GOP Senate primary|newspaper=Lexington Herald Leader}} During the campaign, he denounced McConnell as a "deep-state traitor" and praised what he called the "patriots" of QAnon.

Morgan and his first wife had a daughter, Jordan. He and his second wife, Lindsey, have a daughter named Sydney.

In 2009, convinced that the presidency of Barack Obama would lead the country to social breakdown, civil war, and "roving bands of gangs", Morgan purchased {{convert|200|acre}} of land near Richmond and built a {{convert|14,300|sqft|adj=on}} house with nine bedrooms and three kitchens.{{cite web |last1=Sherman |first1=Tiffani |title=Prepping in Style? $6.5M Kentucky Mansion Has Huge Fallout Shelter |url=https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/prepping-in-style-kentucky-mansion-huge-fallout-shelter/ |website=Realtor.com |date=November 10, 2021 }} He built a {{convert|2,000|sqft|adj=on}} survival bunker {{convert|26|ft}} below ground level, with a {{convert|39|in|adj=on}} thick ceiling and two tunnels.{{cite news | last = Cheves| first = John| title = Looking for a doomsday bunker? Former KY lawmaker is selling his for $6.5 million. | newspaper =Lexington Herald Leader| location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =January 6, 2021 | url =https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article248293665.html | accessdate = }}

After his defeat in the 2020 U.S. Senate primary, Morgan decided to sell his house and leave Kentucky. He listed his house for $6.5 million on Zillow. The listing went viral and attracted unwanted attention and criticism because of the underground survival bunker. On the night of February 22, 2022, an intruder climbed to a second-floor balcony, broke into the house, and killed Morgan's 32-year-old daughter Jordan in her bed. The man then shot Morgan in the arm; Morgan returned fire with a pistol, but the intruder escaped. He was arrested several days later and charged with murder and attempted murder. The suspect was described as a former soldier with psychiatric problems who had intended to take control of the underground bunker. The listing for the home and bunker was removed from the market in August 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1266-Willis-Branch-Rd-Richmond-KY-40475/218447685_zpid/? | title=1266 Willis Branch Rd, Richmond, KY 40475 }}

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Category:Living people

Category:People from Hyden, Kentucky

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Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States Senate elections

Category:21st-century members of the Kentucky General Assembly