West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced last month that he intends to run for the Senate in 2024. Yet according to Breitbart, the Biden administration may have thrown a wrench into those plans.

The website reported that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has just filed a civil complaint against coal businesses belonging to the governor's son, something critics say is an obvious abuse of power. 

Civil suit alleges "repeated violations of the law"

Todd Kim serves as assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and he released a statement saying, "Our environmental laws serve to protect communities against adverse effects of industrial activities including surface coal mining operations."

"Through this suit, the Justice Department seeks to deliver accountability for defendants’ repeated violations of the law and to recover the penalties they owe as a result of those violations," Kim added.

The announcement comes even as a recent poll showed Justice to be well ahead of West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in next year's election.

🚨 2024 WEST VIRGINIA POLL

SEN:
(R) Justice 54% (+22)
(D) Manchin 32%

(R) Mooney 41% (+1)
(D) Manchin 40%

GOP SEN:
Justice 53% (+41)
Mooney 12%

GOP PRES:
Trump — 54% (+45)
DeSantis — 9%
Pence — 5%
T. Scott — 4%
Haley — 3%
Ramaswamy — 2%
Hutchinson — 2%

ECU | 05/22-23 | RVs pic.twitter.com/OfEMerTzsq

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) May 30, 2023

White House accused of "weaponizing the DOJ "

That fact has many Republicans like Donald Trump Jr. accusing the Biden administration of using law enforcement to shut down its political opposition.

Did anyone really think that Biden's weaponization of the DOJ to target his political opponents was going to stop with Trump? https://t.co/poWEprpRNF

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 31, 2023

Republican strategist Andrew Surabian agreed, arguing that the president "is weaponizing the DOJ to attack the family of a Republican Senate candidate."

So Biden is weaponizing the DOJ to attack the family of a Republican Senate candidate. Total abuse of power. https://t.co/7bFRttGHSr

— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) May 31, 2023

Former Trump official calls complaint "a crisis for America"

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz spoke up as well, calling the move "utterly brazen" before adding, "When I said the Biden DOJ is the most political [and] partisan DOJ in history, I wasn’t kidding…."

Utterly brazen.

When I said the Biden DOJ is the most political & partisan DOJ in history, I wasn’t kidding…. https://t.co/lQPY1RlVJd

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 31, 2023

Former Trump administration Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell voiced alarm as well, declaring, "The Biden Justice Department is working to help the Democrats. This is a crisis for America."

The Biden Justice Department is working to help the Democrats.

This is a crisis for America. https://t.co/sp9B3fJmGY

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 31, 2023