By Steven Allen Adams, The Intelligencer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief package could be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives as soon as today, but a provision placed in the bill triggered Gov. Jim Justice on a rant against West Virginia’s lone Democratic U.S. senator.
Justice, during his Monday morning virtual COVID-19 briefing with press from the State Capitol Building, cast blame on U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., for a provision in the $1.9 trillion stimulus package that would limit any use of federal coronavirus relief dollars to offset losses due to legislated changes in state tax revenues.
“This is terrible, this is absolutely terrible,” Justice said. “What was written into the law was written in there primarily by Joe Manchin. Joe Manchin is supposed to be your representative, West Virginia. You know what he is doing? He’s trying to hit at me. That’s all there is to it.”
The provision states that “A state … shall not use the funds provided … to either directly or indirectly offset a reduction in the net tax revenue of such state … resulting from a change in law, regulation, or administrative interpretation … that reduces any tax … or delays the imposition of any tax or tax increase.” …
