Responding to my inquiry further clarify their ruling regarding the legitimacy of a Parliamentarian who is also a member of the voting body as well as a member of the Majority Party, the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics sent this:

” The Joint Committee determined that the position of the House Parliamentarian is informal and strictly advisory. The actual decision on a procedural ruling is made by the Speaker, subject to challenge by the membership of the House. essentially, the Speaker himself is the de facto Parliamentarian.”

” The Joint Committee found no conflict of interest in the Speaker’s action is designating a sitting Delegate of the majority party as his advisor on procedural rulings. The issues you have raised are the jurisdiction of the membership of the House of Delegates, rather than the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics.”