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Justice addresses IRS liens on family businesses, says long-running audits will be resolved
Summary
Responding to reporters, the governor said IRS disputes on businesses trace to audits beginning in 2009; he said the companies paid more than $220 million and that a refund claim of about $27.5 million (which he said could reach roughly $40 million with interest) remains unresolved.
Senator Justice, governor of West Virginia, addressed questions about IRS tax liens affecting businesses tied to his family and said the dispute dates to audits that began in 2009.
"From time to time, you've got disputes," Justice said, describing a series of audits that he said stretched from tax year 2009 through 2014. He said his businesses paid more than $220 million in taxes and filed refund claims. "We paid over 220 some million dollars in taxes, and we filed for refunds... the principal was 27 and a half million dollars, but the refunds dollars are probably with interest and everything could reach $40,000,000," he said.
Justice said the audits have been prolonged and characterized some of the government actions as politically motivated, referencing the timing of enforcement and electoral activity. He told reporters he expected the refund to be resolved in the company's favor eventually. "When all this 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," he said.
Steven Allen Adams, a reporter who asked about coverage by Politico, raised that IRS tax liens had been placed on the governor's businesses. Justice said he could not go into exhaustive detail in the briefing but described the audit history and disputes over different tax years. He referenced the 2009 sale of Bluestone and said the audits followed that period.
The governor did not provide copies of lien notices, court filings, or an independent accounting during the session. He repeated that attorneys expected a response "in the mail tomorrow or the next day" earlier in the process but that the refund remained unpaid at the time of the briefing.
No formal legal filings or administrative actions were announced during the press briefing. The governor framed the matter as an ongoing dispute being handled by his businesses and attorneys and expressed confidence the ultimate outcome will favor his side, but he did not provide documentary evidence at the briefing.
