Just days after a $200 million settlement was reached in the Upper Big Branch mine disaster case, a Massey Energy underground coal mine at time of incident, news has surfaced that former Massey CEO, Don Blankenship, is again at the helm of a coal company, and at least one congressperson is deplored by the move. Steve James of Reuters reports ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, George Miller, "lambasted Massey executives for allowing the company to flout federal safety regulations as well as intimidating workers and running two sets of books to hide safety failings" in Congress yesterday. He said Blankenship wants to get back into mining after killing 29 miners and that it's been suggested he may be able to get a permit to mine.
Blankenship, who stepped down as Massey's chief last year amid the chaos following the disaster, is now listed as president of newly incorporated McCoy Coal Group, according to Kentucky records. Attorney Gregory Blackburn of South Williamson, Ky., is listed as the company's registered agent and did not return calls seeking confirmation that Blankenship has started a new coal company. United Mine Workers of America spokesman Phil Smith told James he can't believe the "chutzpah" Blankenship has to get back into the industry. "If a miner does something that creates a hazard, he can lose his papers and can't work. But a coal company does it and 29 miners die, and nothing is done - there is something fundamentally wrong with that," Smith said.
As Ken Ward Jr. points out on his blog, Coal Tattoo, many are still wondering exactly whom U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin intends to prosecute for wrongdoing at Upper Big Branch. "It’s still important to remember that Booth Goodwin, while talking pretty tough about his commitment to the investigation, has also been clear about the difficulties of going after upper-level corporate officials for criminal conduct," Ward writes. "There is plenty of evidence - some already made public by the McAteer report and some outlined in documents MSHA released yesterday - of widespread criminal conduct regarding falsification of mine-safety examination reports. Will any of those folks make deals, providing information about higher-up corporate officials to avoid tougher charges themselves?"
It is clear how families of the 29 killed miners feel about the situation; money can't replace justice in the deaths of their loved ones. The sentiments of the families are perhaps summed up by Gina Jones, who told Kate White of The Charleston Gazette no dollar amount could not be placed on the life of her husband: "We want those responsible all taken away from their families like what has happened to us."
Blankenship, who stepped down as Massey's chief last year amid the chaos following the disaster, is now listed as president of newly incorporated McCoy Coal Group, according to Kentucky records. Attorney Gregory Blackburn of South Williamson, Ky., is listed as the company's registered agent and did not return calls seeking confirmation that Blankenship has started a new coal company. United Mine Workers of America spokesman Phil Smith told James he can't believe the "chutzpah" Blankenship has to get back into the industry. "If a miner does something that creates a hazard, he can lose his papers and can't work. But a coal company does it and 29 miners die, and nothing is done - there is something fundamentally wrong with that," Smith said.
As Ken Ward Jr. points out on his blog, Coal Tattoo, many are still wondering exactly whom U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin intends to prosecute for wrongdoing at Upper Big Branch. "It’s still important to remember that Booth Goodwin, while talking pretty tough about his commitment to the investigation, has also been clear about the difficulties of going after upper-level corporate officials for criminal conduct," Ward writes. "There is plenty of evidence - some already made public by the McAteer report and some outlined in documents MSHA released yesterday - of widespread criminal conduct regarding falsification of mine-safety examination reports. Will any of those folks make deals, providing information about higher-up corporate officials to avoid tougher charges themselves?"
It is clear how families of the 29 killed miners feel about the situation; money can't replace justice in the deaths of their loved ones. The sentiments of the families are perhaps summed up by Gina Jones, who told Kate White of The Charleston Gazette no dollar amount could not be placed on the life of her husband: "We want those responsible all taken away from their families like what has happened to us."
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