FAIRMONT, W.Va. — More barbs have been traded in the Manchin v. Manchin and Manchin lawsuit, the $1.7 million civil suit filed in late July by Dr. John Manchin against his brothers U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin III and businessman Rock Manchin.
Dr. Manchin claims that his brothers have neglected to pay him back after he financially bailed out their failing business and was, without his knowledge, cut out of family-held businesses.
In a response filed late last month, Sen. Manchin and Rock Manchin claim that the source of the lawsuit pitting three Manchin bothers against each other was caused by their brother’s bitterness and their “financially reckless” nephew. The brothers asked that the suit be dropped.
On Monday, Dr. Manchin filed a response to the motion to drop the civil case, stating that if the case were to be dropped, Dr. Manchin would be denied his right of access to the courts guaranteed by the state’s constitution, and that Dr. Manchin has detailed bank records, tax returns, checks and witness testimony that will back up his claims.
“The damages at issue in this case are significant, are valued in the millions of dollars, and can only be determined with certainty by full and complete disclosure” through the court system, the motion prepared by Dr. Manchin’s attorney J. Michael Benninger reads.
The filing also refers to Dr. Manchin’s brothers’ repeated oral and written contracts to pay back the $1.7 million nothing but “hollow promises…