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Democrats sued West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican Senate candidate, on Tuesday for refusing to release his work schedule as governor in response to a public records request that sought to show a continuing pattern of absenteeism
The decision by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee follows months of back-and-forth with the Justice office over whether the release of the records is required by West Virginia law. These requests are a typical part of opposition research conducted by opposing campaigns and political parties.
In that case, Democrats think they’re plowing fertile ground as Justice prepares for a potential 2024 showdown against Sen. Joe Manchin III (D) in a state that Republicans see as one of their best pick-up opportunities.
In 2019, two years into his tenure as governor, media stories showed Justice was disinterested in his duties after his office released copies of his schedules. The Associated Press reported at the time that Justice almost never met with his cabinet, was rarely in the capital and was missing a critical point during a legislative session. Critics said Justice, a coal mining billionaire, seemed more interested in serving his private business interests.
The DSCC is looking for copies of the Justice calendar from January 2017 to the present in the hope of demonstrating a continuing pattern. The lawsuit was filed in a circuit court in West Virginia.
The Justice Campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Last week, when the DSCC publicly threatened to sue, a campaign spokesman accused Democrats of being in “panic mode” after Justice entered the race on April 27 and try to strengthen his opponent in the Republican primary, five-term representative Alex Mooney (R) .
“They want Alex Mooney as the Republican nominee because they can beat him,” said Roman Stauffer, a spokesman for the Justice campaign. “Democrats see Governor Justice as West Virginia’s next U.S. senator and likely to help Mooney in Republican primary.”
DSCC’s lawsuit argues that the Justice office is not following the law to try to protect it from more negative attention.
“Jim Justice cannot hide his work schedule, or lack thereof, from the people of West Virginia, and this is an area that will surely receive additional scrutiny in his nasty primary and in court,” he said. DSCC spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement.
Even before Justice entered the race, his work ethic was drawing scrutiny, including an editorial last month in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
“Of course, work hasn’t always been the starting point for the two-term governor, who has remained immersed in his private business interests (often in court over unpaid rates, fines or taxes), continued to coach basketball high school and is only in the capital a couple of days a week,” the post wrote.
In addition to coal mining, Justice’s family businesses also include the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, W.Va., where he announced his candidacy last month.
Justice appeared on stage with Babydog, his English bulldog, who has joined him frequently throughout his political career, including in his 2022 State of the State address at the West Virginia Capitol .
Justice, 72, was first elected governor as a Democrat in 2016. He announced he would switch parties and become a Republican at a 2017 rally hosted by then-President Trump in Huntington, W.Va.
Manchin, a moderate Democrat who has often criticized President Biden on environmental and economic policies, has said he would announce later this year whether he would seek another term in the Senate.
