DOJ sues coal companies owned by son of top Republican Manchin challenger

[libertybele]

DOJ sues coal companies owned by son of top Republican Manchin challenger

The Justice Department announced civil litigation Wednesday against 13 coal companies owned and operated by the son of a top political rival of Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Roanoke Division, alleges that James C. Justice III – son of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice – and his companies committed more than 100 violations harmful to the environment.

The campaign for Gov. Justice, who is running against U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney for the Republican nomination, asserting DOJ "has decided to play politics."

"Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and the Democrats have seen the polls that show Jim Justice winning this race, and they're panicking," Justice for Senate campaign manager Roman Stauffer said. "We will see a lot more of this as the Democrats work to help Alex Mooney because they know they can easily beat him."

The complaint names as defendants the younger Justice and 13 local companies: A&G Coal Corp., Bluestone Coal Corp., Bluestone Oil Corp., Chestnut Land Holdings, LLC, Dynamic Energy, Inc., Frontier Coal Co., Justice Energy Co., Kentucky Fuel Corp., National Coal, LLC., Pay Car Mining, Inc., Premium Coal Company, Inc., S and H Mining, Inc., and Tams Management, Inc., as defendants. The DOJ seeks payment of civil penalties and reclamation fee debt amounting to approximately $7.6 million.

"Over a five-year period, defendants engaged in over 130 violations of federal law, thereby posing health and safety risks to the public and the environment," U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia said in a statement Wednesday. "After given notice, they then failed to remedy those violations and were ordered over 50 times to cease mining activities until their violations were abated. Today, the filing of this complaint continues the process of holding defendants accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of the public and our environment."

Gov. Justice, a Republican, is looking to unseat Manchin from the Senate in 2024. The DOJ litigation was announced a day after Newsweek reported that Manchin was trailing 22 points behind Justice in a new poll, a concerning signal to Democrats looking to hold onto the Senate majority during next year’s elections..............

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-sues-coal-companies-owned-son-top-republican-manchin-challenger

[mystery-ak]

WOW...they just don't stop...by any means necessary get the other guy

[libertybele]

WOW...they just don't stop...by any means necessary get the other guy

You are right; by any means necessary.

[DefiantMassRINO]

They can no longer deny the weaponization of the DOJ and FBI.

[libertybele]

They can no longer deny the weaponization of the DOJ and FBI.

No they can't -- who's going to be able to stop what's going on though??

We live in very uncertain and scary times.

[mountaineer]

DOJ press release:

United States Files Civil Action to Collect Unpaid Civil Penalties and Reclamation Fee Debts
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia
Complaint Names 13 Coal Companies Owned or Operated by James Justice III

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced the filing of a civil action against James C. Justice III and 13 coal companies he owns or operates seeking to collect unpaid civil penalties previously assessed by the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), as well as Abandoned Mine Land (AML) reclamation fee and audit debts.

“Our environmental laws serve to protect communities against adverse effects of industrial activities including surface coal mining operations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Through this suit, the Justice Department seeks to deliver accountability for defendants’ repeated violations of the law and to recover the penalties they owe as a result of those violations.”

“Over a five-year period, defendants engaged in over 130 violations of federal law, thereby posing health and safety risks to the public and the environment,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia. “After given notice, they then failed to remedy those violations and were ordered over 50 times to cease mining activities until their violations were abated. Today, the filing of this complaint continues the process of holding defendants accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of the public and our environment.”

Pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), when a permittee violates SMCRA or their applicable permit, OSMRE issues a notice of violation (NOV) for non-imminently dangerous violations. The NOV sets a deadline for abating the violation. If the permittee fails to abate the violation by the NOV’s deadline, OSMRE issues a cessation order to halt mining until the violation is abated. If the permittee still fails to abate the violation within 30 days of the cessation order, OSMRE can take certain actions, including assessing civil penalties.  ...

W. D. Va. press release

Justice's companies play fast and loose with the various regulations and, for that matter, with paying their bills and taxes. But I don't doubt for a moment that this isn't politically motivated.