‘Politicized’: Republicans Decry DOJ Lawsuit Against GOP Senate Candidate’s Business

‘Politicized’: Republicans Decry DOJ Lawsuit Against GOP Senate Candidate’s Business
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., in a file image. (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Savannah Hulsey Pointer
Jackson Richman
6/2/2023
Updated:
6/2/2023
0:00

Republicans are criticizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) for its lawsuit against the coal enterprise of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice II, who is mounting a Senate bid against embattled incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

The DOJ announced that it would be pursuing a suit against Justice’s 13 coal companies for unpaid court fines and reclamation fees in a May 31 press release.

Named in the suit is James Justice III, the governor’s son who took over running the companies after Justice II was elected as governor.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told The Epoch Times that the DOJ’s suit against the younger Justice seemed “politicized” since Justice has decided to run for Senate.

“Governor Justice said yesterday, if I’m not mistaken, that they would, you know, they are going to pay whatever they would pay the obligations. But I mean, it seems kind of politicized to me, since Justice has decided to run for Senate.”

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) made similar statements, telling The Epoch Times that the suit was “outrageous” and “another example of the Biden administration weaponizing the DOJ for political purposes.”

The Justice campaign has also denounced the action, characterizing it as a political move against the Republican candidate.

“Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and the Democrats have seen the polls that show Jim Justice winning this race, and they’re panicking,” campaign manager Roman Stuffer said in a statement. “So now the Biden Justice Department has decided to play politics.”

DOJ ‘Gone Totally Rogue’

Some Republicans have seen this as another in a list of inappropriate actions by the DOJ.
“Joe Biden’s Department of Justice has gone totally rogue,” a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee said in a statement.

“Democrats weaponizing the federal government to attack the family of a Republican Senate candidate is a complete abuse of power.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) responded to the charges in a statement to The Epoch Times.

“Unfortunately, we cannot trust Merrick Garland’s DOJ to apply justice equally in America. Is this civil action politically motivated to help Democrats maintain control of the U.S. Senate?” Johnson questioned. “It’s a shame that this is a very legitimate question.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has endorsed Justice’s rival in the Republican primary, called it “Utterly brazen” of the Justice Department to file the suit in a Twitter post.

“When I said the Biden DOJ is the most political & partisan DOJ in history, I wasn’t kidding….”

The White House did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’s request for comment.

Joseph Lord contributed to this report.