DOJ sues son of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and his coal empire over millions in unpaid fines

The Department of Justice connected Wednesday accused the lad of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and 13 ember companies the younger Justice owns oregon operates of failing to wage millions of dollars successful penalties for biology violations.

Jay Justice, the governor's son, and those companies nether his power person been cited for implicit 130 violations and beryllium much than $5 cardinal successful civilian penalties, among different unpaid fees, the DOJ alleged successful a civil complaint.

"Our biology laws service to support communities against adverse effects of concern activities including aboveground ember mining operations," Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division said successful a press release.

"Through this suit, the Justice Department seeks to present accountability for defendants' repeated violations of the instrumentality and to retrieve the penalties they beryllium arsenic a effect of those violations," Kim said.

The elder Justice, who is reportedly the richest idiosyncratic successful West Virginia, has been accused of meddling successful his household concern empire arsenic politician adjacent aft vowing to separate himself from the companies upon taking office. Those businesses person besides faced accusations of not paying their bills.

The Republican politician past period launched his campaign for the Senate spot held by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Justice's run insists that the politician does not tally the household companies.

Manchin, who could look an uphill conflict to reelection successful the deep-red authorities contempt his incumbent status, has not said if helium plans to tally for again successful 2024.

A spokesperson for Justice's Senate run did not instantly respond to CNBC's petition for comment.

In a statement, National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Tate Mitchell said, "Joe Biden's Department of Justice has gone wholly rogue. Democrats weaponizing the national authorities to onslaught the household of a Republican Senate campaigner is simply a implicit maltreatment of power."

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