CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Democratic party’s U.S. Senate campaign arm is asking a Charleston-based judge to order the release of the calendar of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican running to take over the seat held by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in 2024.
The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee filed a lawsuit against Justice’s office Tuesday in Charleston-based Kanawha County Circuit Court in response to an April 13 rejection of public records pertaining to the state leader’s schedule, according to court records.
“Jim Justice cannot hide his work schedule — or lack thereof — from West Virginians, and this is an area which is sure to receive further scrutiny in his nasty primary and in a court of law,” committee spokesperson David Bergstein said in a press release announcing the suit.
Justice, whose family owns dozens of companies and The Greenbrier luxury resort near the Virginia border, was the most wealthy man in all of West Virginia when elected governor in 2016. For two terms, he’s been dogged by criticism that he’s rarely at the Statehouse and accused of being a “part-time governor.” His office has been reticent to share his calendar, saying it isn’t a true reflection of his work schedule.
Justice announced last month he was entering the 2024 race for U.S. Senate, joining a GOP primary where he will be pitted against U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, who announced his run for Manchin’s seat less than a week after his reelection to the House in November.
Manchin has not yet officially announced whether he will run for reelection in 2024. The senator had recruited Justice to run for governor as a Democrat before Justice switched to the GOP at a rally for former U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term.
Justice’s campaign quickly pushed back against the Democrats’ suit on Tuesday, calling it nothing more than a political ploy. Justice campaign manager Roman Stauffer said the governor is “the frontrunner in this campaign for U.S….
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