Justice says he’s frustrated by government shutdown, and that his tax liens will be ‘taken care of’
By Autumn Shelton, RealWV
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) held a virtual press conference where he told reporters to “see how it all plays out” regarding recently filed tax liens against his properties. He also discussed his frustration with the government shutdown, now entering its fourth week.
“In my world, you know, I’m probably the most impatient guy in town all the time,” Justice said. “And, this shutdown, to me, is the most ridiculous thing on the planet. To be perfectly honest, it’s shameful, it’s selfish, it really would make you mad if you were here.”
Justice went to say that thousands of Americans are “hurting” as a result of the shutdown, before stating that the issue “lies on the backs of the Democrats.”
“What are the Democrats doing?” Justice asked. “They’re absolutely holding America hostage. It is so shameful, in my opinion, and so selfish. I don’t know where we’re going from here. Now it’s developed into a level of food fight, and I don’t like that on either side. Now it’s developed into a stalemate that I don’t know where we’re gonna go.”
On the same day that Justice held his press conference, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor stating that the shutdown was the fault of the Republican Party.
“Let me make one point very clear: the shutdown is on Donald Trump’s back, and the American people know it,” Schumer said. “They know that Republicans have the presidency, the House, and the Senate, and that the shutdown is on them.”
(Real WV took a look at the government shutdown back in September, and discussed some of the reasons why it is occurring: https://therealwv.com/2025/09/29/front-porch-conversations-a-government-shutdown/)
According to Justice, civility is needed from both sides to ensure that the government is working for “Toby and Edith” – Justice’s term for the average American voter.
“We’ve gotta get this thing across the finish line and open this government back up, and, for crying out loud, quit doing this crazy stuff,” Justice said.
IRS files tax liens against Sen. Justice
On Oct. 18, the online news site Politico published an article stating that the IRS filed tax liens against Justice and his wife, Cathy, alleging that the Justices owe “more than $8 million in unpaid assessments.”
These tax liens were filed in the Greenbrier County Clerk’s office on October 2, and may be accessed through a public records search.
Regarding these tax liens, Justice said that his “businesses are complicated and complex,” and this is something that large businesses must endure.
“There’s lots and lots – a hundred plus companies – and, you know, Jay and Jill (Justice’s adult children) are doing a magnificent job in running them, and they employ thousands and thousands of people. And that’s really good stuff,” Justice said, before stating that the IRS decided to audit his family until they found something wrong.
Justice said that after the sale of Bluestone Coal Corp., a Justice owned mining facility, to a Russian company, Mechel, back in 2009, the IRS decided to begin their audits, which lasted until 2014.
In 2009, the selling price of Bluestone was $436 million in cash plus Mechel stock and assumption of debt for a total amount of about $568 million, according to a Bloomberg article. In 2015, the Justice family purchased it back for $5 million after the price of coal fell and Mechel began to have financial problems.
It was the period between the sale of Bluestone and its repurchase, that Justice said he underwent the IRS audits.
“Through that time, we had refunds that we filed. We paid over $220 some million dollars in taxes and we filed for refunds, because, at that point in time, the coal market was so bad and the companies were losing lots and lots and lots of money. So, we filed for refunds. Today, I’ve still never received my refunds. And, my refunds are well, well, well in excess – well, the principal was $27.5 million – but the refund’s dollars, probably with interest and everything, could reach $40 million.”
According to Justice, these refunds were denied as a political move when he ran for the U.S. Senate.
“And, still, all I can say to you is simply this: When all is said and done, I will promise you to God above, that what will happen is we will, Jim will, end up with significantly more dollars from the IRS than what we owe the IRS. It’s just a situation that we’ve gotta go through.”
Separately from the IRS’ tax lien filings, on Aug. 5, the West Virginia State Tax Department issued tax liens against the Greenbrier Hotel Corporation, owned by Justice and located in White Sulphur Springs, in the amounts of $474,278.57 and $297,069.55, for unpaid taxes, interest and penalties. They were filed in the Greenbrier County Clerk’s office in September.
On Sept. 5, the West Virginia State Tax Department issued a tax lien against The Greenbrier Sporting Club in the amount of $55,415.12 for unpaid taxes, interest and penalties and again against The Greenbrier Hotel for $535,143.17. These liens were also filed in the Greenbrier County Clerk’s office in September, and are available to the public.
In total, these four liens against Justice family properties by the state amount to $1,361,906.41 in unpaid taxes plus accrued interest and penalties.
