Senator Jim Justice agrees to pay $5 million to settle DOJ lawsuit over unpaid taxes

Senator Jim Justice has agreed to pay $5 million to settle a lawsuit by the federal government. It involves a case brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for unpaid federal income taxes, penalties and interest for the 2009 tax year. Before reaching the Senate, the Republican served as a businessman and governor of West Virginia. The lawsuit also included his wife, Cathy Justice.

Justice, who happens to be the wealthiest member of the Upper House, inherited the reins of Bluestone, a West Virginia coal company. He also owns the Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, located in the same state.

While he has yet to comment on the matter, he told reporters in October that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claims against him could be politically motivated: "It’s just a situation we’ve got to go through. It’s more of a political move but at the same time it’s just a situation that big companies deal with all the time. You saw all the stuff that President Trump dealt with. At the end of the day, I’d say just let it be and see how it all plays out."

"The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, was filed nearly 10 years to the day from the Internal Revenue Service’s initial assessment of unpaid taxes," reported Bloomberg Law.

As for his legislative activity, Justice sits on the Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources, and Small Business committees.