By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — What do the federal government, the Big Sandy crayfish and a Wisconsin toymaking company have in common?
They’ve all been wronged by Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., and his firms not taking care of their business, according to new legal and regulatory penalty proceedings that threaten to further sink the already floundering finances of Justice and his family.
Justice and his wife, Cathy, were issued tax lien notices by the IRS filed with the Greenbrier County clerk on Oct. 2 indicating they owe just over $8 million in unpaid taxes for assessments that span more than a decade.
The two notices — one to Jim and Cathy Justice claiming an unpaid assessment balance of roughly $8 million and another to the senator alone claiming an unpaid balance of $24,044, both indicate the sums are owed even after the IRS made demands for payment.
The notices each declare a lien for the U.S. on all property and rights belonging to the Justices for those taxes as well as penalties, interest and costs that may add up.
The notice to both Justices lists unpaid assessment balances for tax periods ending in 2009, 2017 and 2022. The notice to the senator alone lists an unpaid assessment balance for a tax period ending in 2017.
Spokespeople for Justice’s Senate office and a Justice family business attorney did not respond to requests for comment. IRS spokesperson Anthony Burke declined to comment, citing federal law, which generally bars the agency from disclosing tax information of specific taxpayers.
Tax lien notification directed to the Justices was first reported by Politico.