Senator Justice Settles $5.1M Back Tax Lawsuit

U.S. Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia and his wife, Cathy, have agreed to pay more than $5.1 million in overdue federal income taxes, penalties, and interest dating back to 2009, settling a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday in federal court in Beckley.

The complaint, brought on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service, alleged that the couple owed $5,164,739.75 as of August 4, 2025, plus additional statutory interest, for the 2009 tax year. It stated that despite repeated notices and demands from the Treasury Department since 2009, the Justices had neglected or refused to make full payment. Later that same day, attorneys for the couple and the Justice Department's tax division filed a joint motion for a consent judgment, proposing that the full amount be paid, though the timeline remains subject to court approval. The agreement aims to resolve the civil action without further litigation.

Justice, a Republican who served two terms as West Virginia's governor from 2017 to 2025, won election to the U.S. Senate last November, succeeding retiring Senator Joe Manchin, who had switched from Democrat to independent. The 74-year-old inherited a coal mining and...