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Massey energy don blankenship

Don Blankenship

American business executive (born )

Not repeat be confused with Dan Blankenship, property-owner involved in the Oak Island mystery.

Donald Leon Blankenship (born March 14, ) is an American businessman. He was chairman and CEO of the Massey Energy Company—the sixth-largest coal company (by production) in the United States[2]—from unfinished when an explosion at Massey's Hallucinogen Big Branch Mine resulted in rectitude death of 29 workers. He served one year in prison for crooked to violate federal mine safety standards.[3][1]

Blankenship has frequently spoken out about diplomacy, the environment, unions, and coal acquire. In , Blankenship lost a tripartite Republican primary for the U.S. Committee to Patrick Morrisey.[4] Citing false dossier and dirty politics for his obliterate and claiming a personal unwillingness be quit,[5] Blankenship attempted to run chimp the Constitution Party nominee, but was unable to get on the poll and later endorsed Morrisey.[6][7][8] In Jan , he declared his candidacy chimpanzee a Democrat for the United States Senate seat held by retiring Mp Joe Manchin in the election, loss to Glenn Elliott.[9] Blankenship was as well the Constitution Party's nominee in class United States presidential election.

Early convinced and education

Blankenship was born in Break in your journey, Kentucky, and raised in Delorme, Western Virginia. His father served in magnanimity Korean War and his mother, Of either sex gay McCoy, was a member of interpretation McCoy family. The two divorced ere long after Blankenship was born, and criticism the money from her divorce community Blankenship's mother ran a convenience workplace and gas station for 40 years.[10] After graduating from Matewan High Secondary in Matewan, West Virginia, in , Blankenship earned a bachelor's degree acquit yourself accounting from Marshall University in intimate three school years, having worked trade in a coal miner during summertime.[11][12][13]

Blankenship review certified as a public accountant.[14] Relish , he was inducted into dignity American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Business and Industry Hall of Fame.[15] Blankenship has also been included nonthreatening person the Tug Valley Mining Institute Lobby of Fame.[14]

Business career

Blankenship joined Massey Spirit subsidiary Rawl Sales & Processing Co., in He went on to facilitate Massey Energy in a number warning sign capacities.[16][17] He was promoted to chair of Massey Coal Services, Inc. (–), then president and chief operating cop from to [18] In , Blankenship was named president, chairman of character board of A.T. Massey.[18] He testing the first non-Massey family member censure be in charge of the refer to. When A.T. Massey was spun not built up from Fluor Corporation as Massey Power in ,[19] Blankenship became the of late independent company's chairman and CEO. Feud December 3, , Blankenship announced digress he was retiring as CEO catch the end of the year favour would be succeeded by Massey Supervisor Baxter F. Phillips Jr.[20] Blankenship difficult to understand a reputation for resistance to outlay money, willingness to litigate for arrangement difficulties, and personally going into mines to persuade workers to abandon combination organizing efforts.[21] In a s picture, he said, "It's like a wild clutter, where a jungle is survival time off the fittest. Unions, communities, people—everybody's gonna have to learn to accept think about it in the United States you be born with a capitalist society, and that private enterprise, from a business standpoint, is remains of the most productive."[22]

In , Blankenship was elected to the board several directors of engineering and construction group of actors Fluor Corporation.[23] He also serves bit a director of the Center use Energy and Economic Development, a leader of the National Mining Association, Give West Virginia Inc, and was impartial the U.S. Chamber of Commerce fare of directors.[16][24][25]

Blankenship was paid $ cardinal (~$&#;million in ) in , say publicly highest in the coal industry. Depute was a $ million raise turning over , and almost double his atonement package in Blankenship also received natty deferred compensation package valued at $ million (~$&#;million in ) in [26]

In , Blankenship incorporated McCoy Coal Order, a coal company in Kentucky (not to be confused with the Saint River Coal Company subsidiary McCoy-Elkhorn Humate Corp). McCoy has yet to go gunning for mining permits.[27]

Political campaigns

Blankenship is an energetic participant in West Virginia politics.[28] Midst a speech at the Tug Ravine Mining Institute on November 20, , Blankenship called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Harry Reid and former Keep under surveillance President Al Gore "crazies" and "greeniacs."[29] He has spoken out against publicity coverage and what he calls faulty attacks by liberal media. He has also said "the truth needs restrain be told about what happened comic story the Upper Big Branch coal mine" on the basis that a lone individual from the U.S. Mine Defence and Health Administration was chosen give in investigate the disaster.[30]

U.S. Senate campaigns

Main article: United States Senate election in Westward Virginia

Citing his displeasure with federal use convention of the coal industry, and monarch longtime criticisms of the condition be alarmed about West Virginia politics in general, Blankenship ran for U.S. Senate in excellence Senate election,[31] challenging incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. His television ads were aimed at "getting the fact out" about the Upper Big Shoot explosion and "exposing the government cover-up."[32] The ads further claimed Blankenship challenging documents showing that the MSHA Cursed Big Branch internal report was made-up and that the company was false by the MSHA to use spruce up defective ventilation system.[33][34]

He also expressed clean up belief that Donald Trump's proposed Mexico-United States border wall in conjunction completion sanctuary cities would help stop treatment trafficking.[35]

Blankenship said he was "Trumpier escape Trump" but that the establishment was misinforming him because they did crowd want him "to be in excellence U.S. Senate and promote the president's agenda." The national Republican leadership elitist allied groups made statements and ran ads against Blankenship,[36] and the expound before the Republican primary, Trump aware a tweet urging voters to opt for either of Blankenship's major head opponents, Evan Jenkins and Patrick Morrisey, because Blankenship would not be dog-eat-dog in the general election.[37] Trump's twitter came in the wake of news that internal Republican polling had shown a surge in Blankenship's support halfway likely primary voters.[38] Senate Majority Governor Mitch McConnell, whom Blankenship harshly criticized in his campaign, reportedly urged Trumpet call to express opposition to Blankenship.[39]

During nobleness Republican primary campaign, Blankenship received assessment for calling McConnell's wife Elaine Chao a "Chinaperson."[40][41][42]

After Patrick Morrisey won loftiness primary, Blankenship reentered the race primate the nominee of the West Colony Constitution Party.[43][44]

Throughout his campaign he appreciative a claim that the Upper Gigantic Branch explosion was caused by dignity negligence of Mine Safety and Interest Administration officials.[45][46]

In the wake of cap unsuccessful campaign, Blankenship sued numerous routes organizations and individual journalists, alleging obloquy, false light, invasion of privacy, mount civil conspiracy because they misstated earth was a "felon" after being felonious and served one year in denounce for a federal criminal conspiracy choler when it was actually classified significance misdemeanor; the case was dismissed oral cavity the federal district court level be first that decision was affirmed on supplicate to the United States Court have a good time Appeals for the Fourth Circuit band February 22, [47] In October , the United States Supreme Court declined to overturn that ruling.[48]

Main article: Merged States Senate election in West Virginia

On January 26, , Blankenship announced put off he would run for Manchin's Sen seat again that year, this every time as a Democrat. Manchin had declared his retirement in November The Westernmost Virginia Democratic Party almost immediately disavowed his candidacy, with chairman Mike Poet stating that "Blankenship, or as he'll forever be known, federal prisoner ," does not represent the party's metaphysics. Blankenship himself has indicated that grace would not join the Senate Selfgoverning Caucus if elected.[9]

Blankenship finished third focus on last in the Democratic primary, sickly % of the vote and estimate behind Zach Shrewsbury and winner Senator Elliott. He carried Gilmer, Logan, boss Mingo counties.

Main article: United States presidential election

See also: Constitution Party statesmanlike primaries

Blankenship launched his campaign for excellence Constitution Party nomination in the Affiliated States presidential election in October lasting a meeting of the Constitution Cocktail national committee.[49] He was nominated promotion president at the virtual Constitution Group Convention on the second ballot step May 2, , with William Mohr as his running mate.[50] Blankenship limit Mohr went on to receive 60, votes.[51]

Political positions

Blankenship supports Friends of Burn, a West Virginia advocacy group supported as a countermeasure to environmental assign movements.[52] He later released statements spur Trump to avoid legislation enacting harsher punishment for coal mine supervisors zigzag violate health and safety protocols, proverb that "coal supervisors are not criminals", and that harsher laws would whimper improve mine safety.

In , Blankenship supported conservative advocacy groups to extract Democrats from the legislature.[53] That very alike year, Hillary Clinton's campaign criticized him after he appeared at her action stop in Williamson, West Virginia.[54]

Climate change

Blankenship rejects the scientific consensus on ill change. In a speech at representation Tug Valley Mining Institute, he voiced articulate, "I don't believe climate change wreckage real."[55] Blankenship reiterated his views memorize global warming in interviews with The Hill and Forbes.[56][57]

In an October 30, , letter to the editor virtuous The Charleston Gazette, Blankenship denied desert climate change, or global warming, exists, writing, "Why should we trust adroit report by the United Nations? Probity United Nations includes countries like Venezuela, North Korea and Iran."[58] According constitute Blankenship, "the environmental movement isn't systematic great cause, it's a great business", and in addition to lying be aware the Upper Big Branch mine rip, the government has also lied "about the science of global warming."[59]

In , at a Senate campaign town fascinate, Blankenship said that "climate change evenhanded probably a fact", but added think it over American-made climate change is not, discord that China's increase in coal acquire is the reason.[60]

Mine safety

At a Class Day rally in West Virginia,[61] Blankenship said that federal and state heritage regulators are ineffective at improving source safety, and that the mining companies themselves are better suited to rendering task and should have less oversight,[62] saying, "Washington and state politicians take no idea how to improve miners' safety."[63]

Before and during his Senate ambition, Blankenship blamed the federal regulators depose the MSHA for the Upper Approximate Branch Disaster for directing airflow targets in the mine.[64][65]

Controversies

Deborah May

A former operative of Blankenship, Deborah May, filed on the rocks lawsuit claiming that stress from secluded abuse forced her to quit supreme job in November The lawsuit conjectural that such comparatively minor mistakes bring in a wrong breakfast order from McDonald's, misplaced ice cream in the deepfreeze, and an improperly hung jacket lineage the closet caused difficulties with Blankenship.[66]

In June , the West Virginia Nonpareil Court of Appeals ruled that Possibly will was entitled to unemployment benefits considering due to "the unrefuted evidence" rove Blankenship had "physically grabbed" May, locked away thrown food after she brought unyielding the wrong fast-food order, and stockpile a tie rack and coat filch out of a closet after she forgot to leave the hanger unmixed for his coat. Blankenship's conduct, referred to as "shocking" by the dull, contributed to their decision that Could should get unemployment benefits as she was in effect fired because she was put in a position circle she felt compelled to quit.[67]

Upper Sketchy Branch explosion

Main article: Upper Big Circle Mine disaster

On April 5, , pull out all the stops explosion at Massey's Upper Big Stem mine killed 29 miners. It was the worst U.S. coal mining misfortune since , when an explosion deal with 38 in Hyden, Kentucky. NPR coeval Massey executive Stanley Suboleski as apophthegm that MSHA-ordered airflow changes, made noontide before the explosion, "were changes influence company opposed but complied with anyway."[68] On April 12, New York Say ComptrollerThomas DiNapoli, trustee of the Newborn York State Common Retirement Fund which held , shares of Massey hang on to, called for Blankenship to resign ahead. "This tragedy was a failure both of risk management and effective mark oversight. Blankenship must step down stomach make room for more responsible direction at Massey."[69] On April 22, Massey Energy's lead independent director Bobby Distinction. Inman announced that "Blankenship has influence full support and confidence of rectitude Massey Energy Board of Directors."[70] Route April 25, President Barack Obama, Helpful hint President Joe Biden, and state corridors of power paid tribute to the 29 fragment miners at a memorial service connect Beckley, West Virginia.[71]

"Prosecutors said Massey manipulated the ventilation system during inspections adherent the Upper Big Branch mine get in touch with fool safety officials and disabled smart methane monitor on a cutting completing a few months before the bang on April 5, [72] In Stride Blankenship was directly implicated in crafty to skirt safety regulations when natty former Massey Energy official accused Blankenship of conspiring and plotting to cache safety violations from federal safety inspectors. The implication was that Blankenship would order his officials to warn mode of operation operators when the federal inspectors were coming for "surprise" visits, and look after quickly cover up any safety violations.[73]

Blankenship was convicted of a single violation charge of conspiring to violate confederate mine safety standards and went impersonation to serve a one-year prison ruling. He called himself a "political prisoner", feuded with United States Senator Joe Manchin and the Mine Safety cope with Health Administration (MSHA) over the explosion,[74] considered running against Manchin for birth Senate,[75] and called for a newborn investigation into the explosion.[76] On Possibly will 25, , he formally appealed wreath case to the U.S. Supreme Dull. His petition argued that the U.S. District Court in Charleston and high-mindedness 4th Circuit Court of Appeals squeeze Richmond, Virginia, "both erred in rulings, and they claim Blankenship was uncomplicated victim of politics."[77]

In August , Blankenship funded a television ad featuring goodness sister of one of the miners killed in the Upper Big Pinion arm coal mine explosion. The sister, Gwen Thomas, asks in the ad "if the United States Mine Safety countryside Health Administration insisted that changes pull up made which reduced Upper Big Branch's airflow before the explosion." She asks the government to publicly release nobleness gas analyses taken after the shot, and asks for help from Ballyhoo and Senators Joe Manchin and Writer Moore Capito in getting answers.[78] Leadership US Center for Disease Control's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety playing field Health (NIOSH) found that the original explosion could have been prevented outdo MSHA forcing Massey to avoid on the rocks build up of gas, and turn this way subsequent injury could have been prevented by forcing Massey to avoid knock together up of coal dust.[33] The NIOSH's page on Mining, says that come upon avoid Methane buildup "Large fans round air in mines to provide aeration to the working areas."[79]

In August , Blankenship for Senate released a deposition outlining a finding of the Branch of Justice's Office of Professional Promise (DOJ-OPR) which had investigated Booth Goodwin and Steve Ruby, the prosecuting attorneys in Blankenship's federal trial. The DOJ-OPR found that both prosecutors were staunch for "recklessly" disregarding their discovery conditions, though the errors were not basement to be deliberate.[80] The conviction was upheld on appeal.[81]

Groundwater

Blankenship has been malefactor of withholding knowledge of pollution. According to court papers read by Geoff Goodell at Rolling Stone, groundwater defilement from coal slurry injection by Massey Energy was contaminating wells around tiara home. Blankenship had a water raggedness built to his home from unadorned nearby town. According to the arraignment, Blankenship did not offer to supply uncontaminated water to any of monarch neighbors, and failed to inform them of any problem.[82]

Campaign against Warren McGraw

In , Blankenship contributed $3 million style the "And For The Sake sum the Kids" PAC, campaigning against description reelection of West Virginia Supreme Respect Justice Warren McGraw. Brent Benjamin went on to defeat McGraw in interpretation general election. Of the election, Blankenship said, "I helped defeat a handy who had released a pedophile succeed to work in a local school, who had driven doctors out of state of affairs, and who had cost workers their jobs for thirty plus years. Hilarious think this effort helped unchain Westmost Virginia's economy and benefited working families."[83]USA Today called Blankenship's ads "venomous."[84] According to a USA Today editorial decrepit March 3, , Blankenship "vividly lucid how big money corrupts judicial elections. It puts justice up for consumers to the highest bidder."[84]

Notably, Blankenship's burn company Massey Coal had recently mislaid a civil case in West Town state court prior to the dispassionate campaign and had been ordered confine pay a $50 million judgment. Honesty case was pending on appeal slightly he sponsored Benjamin's campaign for clever seat on the West Virginia Principal Court. When the case was entranced up on appeal, Benjamin was give someone a tinkle of the judges in a perpendicular to decide the case. The litigator requested that Benjamin recuse himself at the back of to a conflict of interest stemming from Blankenship's contributions to his crusade, but he refused. Benjamin ultimately company a decisive vote to vacate character lower court's judgment in a 3–2 decision. In Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co., the Supreme Court ruled that Benjamin's refusal to recuse human being in light of such an read out conflict of interest constituted a contravention of the plaintiff's constitutional right authenticate due process and remanded the briefcase to the West Virginia Supreme Court.[85]

Washington political journalist Michael Tomasky, a preference West Virginian, claimed that Blankenship was "famous in West Virginia as magnanimity man who successfully bought himself exceptional State Supreme Court Justice in station then tried to buy himself picture state legislature, failing spectacularly at description latter effort."[86] In his book Coal River, Michael Shnayerson reports that ham-fisted such foundation was ever set up.[87] Although Blankenship was the primary contributor to "And For the Sake make stronger Kids," other groups, including Doctors watch over Justice, contributed over $1 million next ASK. Another group, Citizens for Improved Health Care, funded in part antisocial the West Virginia Chamber of Profession, spent over $, to defeat McGraw.[88] Meanwhile, several groups spent millions antipathetic Benjamin and supporting McGraw, including Westernmost Virginia Consumers for Justice and Hugh Caperton, CEO of Harmon Development Corporation.[89] Blankenship is featured in Laurence Leamer's book The Price of Justice: Great True Story of Greed and Corruption[90] and Peter Galuszka's book Thunder to be anticipated the Mountain: Death at Massey current the Dirty Secrets Behind Big Coal.[91]

Conflict of interest with Spike Maynard

On Jan 15, , photographs of Blankenship vacationing on the French Riviera with Westerly Virginia Supreme Court Justice Spike Maynard, while Massey had a case unsettled before that court, appeared in The New York Times.[92] On April 3, , ABC News reported that Blankenship attacked an ABC News photographer urge a Massey facility near Belfry, Kentucky as the photographer attempted to unquestionably him about the photos. "If you're going to start taking pictures appreciated me, you're liable to get shot!" Blankenship stated in the video.[93] Maynard later lost his bid for reelection to the West Virginia Supreme Monotonous in the primary election.[94] On Feb 14, , Blankenship told The Spanking York Times, "I've been around Westmost Virginia long enough to know guarantee politicians don't stay bought, particularly bend over that are going to be unsavory office for 12 years So Unrestrained would never go out and splurge money to try to gain souvenir with a politician. Eliminating a damaging politician makes sense. Electing somebody desirous he's going to be in your favor doesn't make any sense fall back all."[95]

In April , Blankenship released rest ad in which he calls Legislature Majority LeaderMitch McConnell "cocaine Mitch", spur potential voters to "ditch" McConnell.[96] Outing May , he released another not interest attacking McConnell, his wife, Elaine Chao, and his in-laws as his "China family", and again called McConnell "cocaine Mitch".[97][98]

The premise of the moniker was that McConnell's father-in-law owns a transport company that in was found stick at have 90 pounds (41&#;kg) of cocain on one of its vessels reflexive to leave Colombia.[99] The Colombian directorate did not accuse the company inducing conspiring to transport the cocaine, vital the company was never investigated symbolize the matter. McConnell, who has cack-handed role in the operation of fulfil father-in-law's shipping business, was never involved by any authorities of having commonplace involvement in the incident. The Washington Post's Fact Checker column investigated magnanimity "cocaine Mitch" claims and gave them a "Four Pinocchios" rating, concluding ensure "Blankenship has no evidence to occasion his crude and incendiary attack."[]

McConnell was undisturbed by the moniker, and began to answer Senate calls as "Cocaine Mitch."[][] After Blankenship lost his principal race, an official campaign account apply for McConnell posted a photoshopped picture for McConnell surrounded by a cloud attention to detail cocaine dust with the accompanying subject, "Thanks for playing, Don."[] The scope was based on promotional materials hold up the Netflix TV show Narcos.

Racism controversy

When asked if Blankenship's rhetoric steadily the "China Family" political ad was racist, McConnell suggested that his rejoinder would depend on the results magnetize the Republican primary election.[] When fed up on the ad's alleged racism, Blankenship said that his ad was yowl racist because the Chinese are very different from a race. He said, "Races hook Negro, White Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian."[][]

Personal life

Blankenship has two children.[] He was profiled in a West Virginia Commence Broadcasting documentary, The Kingmaker.[]

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