DOJ sues Jim Justice’s coal empire over unpaid fines for mining violations

The Justice Department is suing the coal empire of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice for failing to pay more than $5 million in civil penalties assessed by the Department of the Interior.

The 128-page civil action, filed Tuesday against 13 of the Justice family businesses and Justice’s adult son, comes as the governor, a Republican, launches a Senate bid against Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

The suit alleges that the businesses failed to pay fines for more than 100 violations of federal mining regulations that created “health and safety risks” or threatened “environmental harm.” Justice Department attorneys are seeking a court order to force the Justice companies to repay the fines, with interest.

The bulk of the lawsuit spells out the individual violations of federal mining regulations, overseen by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The Justice Department notes that the imposition of these penalties was “uncontested.”

In addition to the 13 mining companies, the suit identifies Jay Justice, the governor’s son, as the “owner, controller, and/or agent of each of the Justice Companies.” Although the suit doesn’t name the elder Justice, he’s faced scrutiny before for the unpaid fines as well as reports that he’s still maintained a firm grip on the family business.

Aides to the governor did not immediately have a comment.

Republicans made clear they will seek to frame the suit, without evidence, as part of a campaign of political targeting by the Biden administration’s Justice Department. A spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee accused Democrats of “weaponizing the federal government to attack the family of a Republican Senate candidate.”

The case has been assigned to Judge Robert Ballou, a federal district judge in Roanoke, Virginia.

Ally Mutnick contributed to this report.