Reuters reports:
He’s a billionaire who owns mines, farms and the swankiest resort in all of West Virginia. But how Jim Justice spends his time as the state’s 36th governor has largely been a mystery. Since he took office a little more than two years ago, Justice has been dogged by criticism that he’s rarely at the Statehouse.
He’s been called a part-time governor and criticized for missing key policy debates. Some lawmakers have suggested he can’t focus on governing because he’s busy tending to his expansive business empire, which has recently come under scrutiny from the federal government.
In his most recent financial disclosure statement, Justice lists more than 100 business interests, including coal and timber companies. He’s said he wants to put his assets in a blind trust but hasn’t done so. The DOJ has also sued nearly two dozen of Justice’s coal companies to get them to pay about $4.8 million in unpaid mine-safety fines.
Justice is the richest man in West Virginia, with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion, most of which comes from the coal company he inherited from his father. He earned national headlines in 2017 when he switched parties onstage at a Trump rally.
He’s a billionaire who owns mines, farms and the swankiest resort in all of West Virginia. But how Jim Justice spends his time as the state’s 36th governor has largely been a mystery. https://t.co/rO8HGnwr7e
— The Herald-Dispatch (@heralddispatch) May 10, 2019
US files a civil action to collect debts owed by WV Governor Jim Justice companies for violations of mine safety laws https://t.co/TAUH9mvIdU
ICYMI, here’s an earlier deep dive into many problems governor’s coal companies have had paying what they owe: https://t.co/qOO323W0KB
— ⚡Taylor Kuykendall (@taykuy) May 7, 2019
WV Gov Jim Justice pointing out all of his accomplishments. pic.twitter.com/dnk1DVtie0
— Richard N. Ojeda, II (@VoteOjeda2020) May 3, 2019
Trump on West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who is tall and hefty: “He is the largest, most beautiful man.”
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 21, 2018
Trump stood beside West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and said, “He’s all man: 6-foot-11.”
Justice is 6-foot-7.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 30, 2018
BREAKING NEWS: @nytimes: West Virginia Governor Jim Justice to switch to Republican Party. pic.twitter.com/iUrHiivOLK
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 3, 2017