Jim Justice's mining empire failed to pay $5M in safety violation fines: DOJ

The Department of Justice sued West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice's coal companies for failing to pay civil penalties imposed by the government for flouting numerous regulations.

The 12-page lawsuit names 13 business operated by the Justice family and his adult son alleging they failed to pay $5 million in fines for more than 100 violations of federal mining regulations that created “health and safety risks” or threatened “environmental harm," reported Politico.

The Justice Department is seeking a civil penalty to force the companies to repay the fines, with interest.

The lawsuit comes as the Republican Justice launches a U.S. Senate challenge to incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).

The suit doesn't name the governor but identifies his son Jay Justice as the “owner, controller, and/or agent" of all 13 companies.