CHARLESTON, W.Va. — National Public Radio reported Friday that West Virginia gubernatorial candidate and coal operator Jim Justice owes $15 million in taxes and fines.
The NPR investigation led by investigations correspondent Howard Berkes analyzed federal data and concluded that Justice is the nation’s top mine safety delinquent.
An attorney for Justice countered that his companies are working through payment plans, rather than filing for bankruptcy protection as some coal mine companies have done.
“Unlike the coal companies that filed for bankruptcy and walked away from their obligations, the Justice companies are being responsible and following the agreed upon payment plan,” stated Billy Shelton, attorney for Justice companies.
“I’ve dealt with these issues many times during my legal career, and the Justice companies are taking the proper steps to make good on all MSHA commitments. To imply anything beyond that is purely for political reasons and ignores the facts.”
NPR’s analysis of county, state and federal records revealed that Justice-owned companies owe $15 million in six states, including property and minerals taxes, state coal severance taxes and withholding taxes, and federal income, excise and unemployment taxes, as well as mine safety penalties.
Berkes and NPR released a spreadsheet showing county, state and federal debts by Justice-owned companies.
Berkes was a guest this morning on Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval.
“That’s what Justice always says, that eventually these things will be paid. I guess we’ll see,” Berkes told Kercheval.
? Billionaire Gubernatorial Candidate Owes $15 Million In Taxes And Fines https://t.co/W7WI3QwwO5 @hberkes pic.twitter.com/CtwzPbpTZp
— NPR visuals team (@nprviz) October 7, 2016
Meanwhile, over the past 16 months, Justice contributed almost $2.9 million in interest-free loans and in-kind contributions to his Democratic gubernatorial campaign, NPR noted. Justice is widely touted as West Virginia’s richest man, valued at about $1.6 billion.
Justice campaign spokesman Grant Herring told NPR that Justice “won’t be doing an interview” about the findings.
Republican gubernatorial opponent Bill Cole was already making hay out of the NPR report within minutes of its release:
How can voters ever trust @Justiceforwv when he has $15m in unpaid fines & taxes? He should pay them instead of spending $ on his campaign.
— Bill Cole WV (@BillColeWV) October 7, 2016
Berkes and NPR’s team went through county records in South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia and found more than $6 million in state and federal tax liens for failure to pay state withholding and coal severance taxes, and federal income, excise and unemployment taxes.
Most of the state and federal liens — more than $4.5 million worth — are in Justice’s home state of West Virginia, and more than 60 percent of that debt is for state coal severance taxes, NPR reported.
NPR also discovered two instances of Justice pledges to donate millions of dollars in charity that went unkept.
In 2011, the Boy Scouts of America received the announcement of a $25-million gift from Justice to create the James C. Justice National Scout Camp in West Virginia. So far, only $5 million and some land were donated, according to NPR.
The same year Justice promised to contribute $10 million to Cleveland Clinic Innovations. A spokeswoman for the corporate branch of the Ohio medical facility told NPR “no money was received from Mr. Justice.”
The Justice campaign singled out the Boy Scouts characterization as unfair.
“The political silly season is here because this reporter is attacking Jim Justice for supporting the Boy Scouts with a $5 million contribution and a land donation. Jim is a giver; he always has and always will support great causes,” stated Herring, the spokesman for the Justice campaign.
Berkes responded on Talkline, “I’m not attacking Jim Justice. I’m reporting facts.”
He continued, “This is not a political story. I have nothing to do with politics in West Virginia.”
NPR’s story lists West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Jesse Wright, Ashton Marra and Dave Mistich as part of the reporting team.
Marra interviewed Berkes about the reporting, and that interview is posted here.