Too Busy for Transparency?: Jim Justice’s Latest Excuse Falls Flat

New report reviewing Justice’s schedule shows his habitual absenteeism

Latest report adds to concerns from his own party about his ‘remote’ leadership style

A new report from the Associated Press reviewing West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s schedule revealed he has rarely showed up for his job. Justice almost never meets with his Cabinet, is rarely at the Capitol and was largely missing at one of the most critical points of this past year’s legislative session.
While Justice previously argued it “doesn’t matter” where he works, his latest excuse for his flimsy schedule is that he’s working too hard to think about his calendar. Justice has caught flack from the Republican Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, who said Justice spends less time at the Statehouse than any governor he has ever seen.
This latest report adds to the blowback Justice is receiving from his own party, including local GOP committees voicing ‘no confidence’ in his leadership and Trump’s DOJ suing businesses owned by or affiliated with Justice for refusing to pay the $4 million in miner safety violations his businesses have racked up.
“Clearly, Jim Justice is too busy trying to fend off primary challenges from his own party and lawsuits from Trump’s Department of Justice to show up for the job West Virginians elected him to do,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “With a weak economic recovery and the opioid crisis ravaging the state, Republicans know Jim Justice’s absent leadership has failed West Virginia. Jim Justice now must explain to voters if he’ll ever show up for the job.”