Greenbrier owner Jim Justice, who hopes to be West Virginia's next governor, raised eyebrows this weekend when he handed out more than $190,000 to fans attending a PGA Tour event at his hotel, a gesture his campaign says was strictly business.
"It's tradition," said Justice for West Virginia campaign spokesman Derek Scarbro. "And it has been for five or six years."
Since bringing the PGA Tour to The Greenbrier in 2010 after buying the resort out of bankruptcy the previous year, Justice has been known to use his wealth to promote The Greenbrier Classic tournament and attract attention to West Virginia. One way he has done that is by handing out crisp $100 bills to fans present on the green when a golfer makes a hole-in-one.
That happened twice during the tournament where Justice distributed $192,400 in payouts to more than 500 people. He also gave $75,000 to charities sponsored by golfers George McNeill and Justin Thomas, who made the holes-in-one.
Justice, who is president and CEO of about 50 companies, is West Virginia's only billionaire. According to Forbes, he has a net worth of $1.7 billion, most of which he earned managing coal mines.
Scarbro defended Justice's dealings at the tournament, saying he can be a political candidate while still being a businessman. Further defending his actions during the Classic, Scarbro said the handouts help generate excitement for West Virginia.
"The bottom line - as far as this being a campaign issue - is that this was part of the golf tournament," Scarbro said. "It's no different than any other business or charity giving out a rebate."
While Justice is likely to be more scrutinized now that he is a candidate for public office, Scarbro said there were no discussions about tournament activities in relation to the campaign. He said the campaign views itself as separate.
However, following the tournament, campaign officials consulted lawyers, who Scarbro said did not raise concerns over the handouts.
When asked if Justice should curtail any business activity while he seeks the West Virginia Democratic Party's nomination for governor, Scarbro said he shouldn't have to.
"We wouldn't expect other candidates to end rebates at their car dealership just because they are running for governor," he said, referring to, but declining to name, Senate President Bill Cole, who runs an auto dealership network in southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. Cole, R-Mercer, announced his bid for governor in June.
Justice, who previously was registered as a Republican, declared his candidacy in May weeks after U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., declined to leave Washington, D.C., for Charleston. According to early polls, Manchin held a strong lead among possible candidates.
While Justice has never held public office, he hopes his experience as a businessman and jobs creator will help him gain the support of voters. Justice's various companies employ about 5,000 people.
Other major West Virginia gubernatorial candidates include former Senate President and current Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall. Quintin Caldwell, Tyler Cloud Dixon, Caroll Garnes, Phil Hudok, David Dunstan Moran, Curtis Robinson, Andrew Utterback and Edwin Ray Vanover also are throwing their hats in the ring.
The filing deadline to run for any state office is Jan. 30.
Contact writer Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@dailymailwv.com or 304-348-7939. Follow him at www.twitter.com/samueljspeciale.