CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice and his U.S. Senate campaign have until Aug. 24 to file the required financial disclosures.
Roman Stauffer, Justice's campaign manager, told WV MetroNews that Justice would turn over the reports in August.
"Governor Justice will file his personal financial disclosure form in a timely manner when that report is due in August and it will include the personal financial disclosure information required on that report," Stauffer said.
Typically, financial disclosure reports are due within 30 days of announcing candidacy, however, Justice initially requested an extension on May 25, which was granted for 90 days.
U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark in Delaware ruled that Justice had to provide written responses in a dispute involving a $2 million judgment awarded to Xcoal by July 5. Stark noted that Justice's Senate run shouldn't deter him from doing so.
“Governor Justice’s objections lack merit," Stark wrote in the order. "He identifies no authority for his contention that he should not have to provide discovery (or, at least, should not have to provide discovery until after his co-defendants do so) because he is a declared candidate for political office."
Last week, on June 14, one if Justice's attorneys, John A. Sensing, noted in a letter to Stark that the information Xcoal wanted in discovery was sensitive and something his political adversaries would want to have.
Sensing wrote that Justice wanted additional protective measures for his financial information, including that it be only produced in a single hard copy on non-reproducible paper; that the information not be scanned, copied or reproduced; that only three attorneys and two staff be allowed to view the information; that the hard-copy be locked in an area only accessible by those designated; and that the hard-copy be returned to Justice at the conclusion of the case.
"These measures will significantly reduce the risk that Governor Justice's private financial information will be made public," the letter states.
Justice announced his run in April for the seat of Sen. Joe Manchin. Alex Mooney is also running for the seat.
