West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is blaming Democrats for his financial troubles, which have led to his luxury resort facing foreclosure and auction. Justice, a Trump-supporting coal magnate who briefly switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party to run for governor before switching back to the GOP, issued a statement through his company regarding the potential selloff of the Greenbrier Resort.
According to the nonprofit outlet Real WV, The Greenbrier, an extravagant luxury property in the southern part of the state, is commonly used by House Republicans for their retreats. Justice, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring independent Sen. Joe Manchin, claims, without evidence, that the foreclosure is a political move to embarrass him.
The statement, issued by the resort’s corporate lawyer Bob Wolford of Grand Rapids, was titled “ANOTHER POLITICAL STUNT BY THE DEMOCRAT MACHINE.” “Let me be clear that the Greenbrier will not be sold, and the Justice family will take all necessary action to ensure that there will not be any adverse impact on their ownership of the Greenbrier or the Greenbrier’s operations,” the statement read.
“After purchasing the loan, Beltway immediately declared the loan to be in default and initiated suit against the Governor and certain of his Companies and commenced foreclosure proceedings against the Greenbrier, told the Daily Beast. This deceitful move by JPMorgan is nothing more than the latest political stunt by the Democrats to undermine the next Republican Senator from West Virginia.”
Once worth $1.6 billion, Justice’s fortune has declined in recent years amid extensive financial difficulties and allegations of evading taxes and debt obligations. In 2020, Justice and his family received up to $24 million from COVID relief programs, with the Greenbrier alone receiving $10 million in Paycheck Protection Aid, despite not guaranteeing that the money would be used to avoid layoffs.
The Justice Department alleged in a lawsuit filed last year that Justice’s mining businesses are delinquent on $5 million in fines for safety violations. Justice’s claims of political sabotage highlight the ongoing tensions between him and Democratic operatives. As he campaigns for the Senate, the financial woes surrounding the Greenbrier Resort add a layer of complexity to his political narrative and raise questions about the intersection of his business and political careers.