PARKERSBURG — They’re going at West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice from different angles.

The Republican Party in Wood County last week formalized its call for impeachment.

A petition seeking a writ of mandamus to order the governor to comply with the West Virginia Constitution and reside in Charleston was filed Thursday in Kanawha County, which Justice called a political stunt.

And on Friday, Delegate Eric Nelson, Republican chairman of the House Finance Committee, distributed an op-ed saying with the issues with RISE West Virginia, the firing of senior officials at the Department of Commerce, the ethical involvement of prominent business interests in state government, to the cloud over the once-promising China Energy deal, “one can’t help but question whether the leadership in the executive branch has been asleep at the wheel.”

“While the governor has been insulted by this question, one can’t help but ask: Would these situations have been prevented if he’d actually devoted his efforts full-time to working at the Capitol?” Nelson said.

Delegate Isaac Sponaugle, D-Pendleton, the House assistant minority whip, on Thursday asked the Kanawha County Circuit Court in a petition for writ of mandamus to order Justice to comply with Article VII Section 1 of the constitution that requires residency in Charleston during his term in office.

While Justice resides in Greenbrier County, issues arise with his administration, Sponaugle said.

“The Justice administration is a mess,” Sponaugle said. “It’s plagued by scandals, mismanagement of public monies and poor performance.

The main reason for the mess is Gov. Jim Justice’s chronic absenteeism from the Capitol.”

The governor called the action a “political stunt.” While yet to have been served, Justice said his counsel obtained a copy of the petition and believes it is without merit.

“This petition is filled with falsehoods and we will address each and every one at the proper time,” said Justice in a statement. “It’s a shame that Delegate Sponaugle has chosen to engage in a political stunt that has no purpose but to waste the valuable time and resources of the executive branch and the West Virginia court system. Delegate Sponaugle, a far-left politician, never brought this up when I was a Democrat, but now that an election year is upon us he chose to file this lawsuit to score cheap political points.

“Frankly, I don’t want to waste our people’s money, have people cook for me, do laundry, let me have party after party on the taxpayer’s dime and cater to my every whim,” said Justice. “I’m here to serve, not to be served.”

Justice was a Republican who became a Democrat to run for governor in 2016, then became a Republican again last fall during a rally by President Trump in Huntington.

A writ of mandamus to get a government official to fulfill their official mandatory duty is “an extraordinary remedy, used in exceptional circumstances of public importance,” Sponaugle said.

“If it takes a lawsuit to make the governor follow constitutional work requirements, then so be it,” Sponaugle said. “I’m one of many plaintiffs that have had to take Jim Justice to court to keep his word.”

The Constitution says the governor shall reside at the seat of government during his term of office, and keep there the public records, books and papers pertaining to his office, Sponaugle said.

“Jim Justice swore an oath to support the constitution of the State of West Virginia and to faithfully discharge the duties of Governor to the best of his skill and judgment,” Sponaugle said. “The constitution mandates that you work regularly at the seat of government. Gov. Justice has declared that he will only follow the constitution when it is convenient to him.”

Meanwhile, the Wood County Republican Party Executive Committee unanimously voted to support the pursuit of impeachment articles against Justice, Chairman Rob Cornelius said Friday. The committee in a resolution supported efforts to remove officials incapable or unwilling to fulfill their constitutional duties, he said.

Cornelius cited the “scandal on our Supreme Court” and the problems with the RISE West Virginia flood relief program that delayed aid to victims.

“The chatter grows,” said Cornelius. “Today (Friday), Republican leaders in the Legislature are finally demanding performance or impeachment of this fake Republican. Democrats are helping as well, filing a lawsuit to attempt to force the governor to reside in Charleston as the Constitution says he ‘shall’ do.”

The governor needs to decide whether he’s going to be part-time or “devote himself fully to the job to which he has been elected,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he was grateful for the investigative journalists “who’ve risen up in the face of a media blackout to pursue legitimate stories about our government failing to meet the needs of its citizens.” The administration’s line of communications with the Legislature isn’t much better than the one it has with the press, Nelson said.

“Politically, these are not comfortable words for me to say,” Nelson said. “Jim Justice and I are, after all, both Republicans and supposedly on the same team. But there comes a time when you have to call a spade a spade and put the interests of state ahead of political affiliation.”

It will take a team effort to ensure more-just people are in charge, Cornelius said.

“We pray that these remedies to our absent executive and corrupt court come soon,” he said. “It is incumbent that all serious Republican elected officials give an honest answer to the media and citizens as to whether they support this governor.

“We don’t,” said Cornelius. “Wood County Republicans don’t. It’s a time for choosing.”