After a decade+ of nonstop pollution offenses, GOP Sen. Jim Justice's coal empire learned earlier this year that it was under federal criminal investigation.
But before prosecutors could gather crucial evidence, Todd Blanche's office told them "pencils down."
NEW: Regulators have linked Mark McAfee’s raw dairy farm to more than a dozen recalls and outbreaks that left hundreds of people ill.
“I’ve put a couple kids in the hospital,” McAfee said. “But here’s the thing: I’m a pioneer.”
Read my story with Avi Asher-Schapiro on how the Trump administration killed a criminal investigation into GOP Sen. Jim Justice's coal empire: www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Sen. Justice is Trump's personal friend. His companies have been accused of thousands of environmental violations in civil courts but have never faced criminal charges.
In 2016, they entered a consent decree to address 23,693 violations of the Clean Water Act.
Before entering politics, Tim Sheehy ran an aerial firefighting company, Bridger Aerospace. In the Senate, he has sought to cut regulations and expand the government’s use of private aircraft on wildfires, while still owning stock in the company. @abestreep.bsky.social
Killing a case this early, before the evidence is clear, is extremely unusual. “I’ve never heard of that happening before,” said one former prosecutor.
The case even had sign-off from a Trump-chosen US Attorney. But a DOJ spokesperson dismissed critics as “deep state” members.
More recent legal proceedings suggest Justice's companies were knowingly flouting the law — a crime.
Prosecutors subpoenaed company records this year for further evidence.
Then Sen. Justice's lawyers directly lobbied the DOJ, and the Deputy AG Office under Blanche shut it down
“There’s never been any intentional wrongdoing by the companies,” a lawyer for Justice's companies said, and claims to the contrary are from a “disgruntled” former employee.
Read our full story: www.propublica.org/article/trum...