Quote:
Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna
I don't know any coal miners. But if I did, these excerpts from an article on the CNN newswire yesterday would really make me mad.
"...While the cause of Monday's blast remained unknown, the deaths turned a harsh spotlight on the safety record of Massey (the mine owner), which has paid record fines for safety and environmental violations....
...U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-West Virginia,, said 'the mine appears to be a bad apple, there's no question about it, because of the history of violations, including as late as March 30 of this year'....
...People associated with Massey Energy, including it's CEO, have donated more than $307,000 to federal candidates since the 1990 election cycle, with 91 percent going to Republican candidates, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group....
...In 2004, the Massey CEO spent $3 million to support a campaign by Brent Benjamin, who successfully ran for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. At the time, Massey was involved in a business dispute with a rival mining company, and a jury in 2002 had awarded the other company, Harman Mining, $50 million.
By the time Massey appealed the decision in 2006, Benjamin was on the court. Benjamin refused to recuse himself from the appeal, and then voted to overturn the jury's verdict. The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled last year that Benjamin should have recused himself."
Anyone think that special interest money might have had anything to do with the deaths of the miners?
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First of all, as someone who grew up in Western Pennsylvania I have great empathy for those who work in the coal mines and my prayers go out to the families.
Now...please explain what the contributions to political parties and what party has to do with the accident ?
Read recently...fact is just this week, that this administration wont or cant limit methane emissions despite the previous administration (you know the REAL bad guys) would require limitations. This sort of wipes out or at minimum makes a wash the recent BS on auto emissions.
But, please tell me what the political party OR political donations have to do with the accident. While it is interesting, you imply it had something to do with this accident in some way !