Challenged: Blankenship’s Buyout of Justice and Democracy

November 10, 2004
Photos by Vivian Stockman

Page 1 of 3
See sidebar for links to other pages
Scroll down for photos

Friends of the Mountains Highlight Real National Coal Issues

Inside, his supporters listened to Massey's CEO Don Blankenship sing the blues about hindrances to his company's ability to blow up mountains and bury streams with impunity. Pesky little hindrances like coalfield residents and environmental laws.  Blankenship was speaking on “Challenges Facing Southern West Virginia Coal Production” at the West Virginia Energy Roadmap Workshop on National Coal Issues, held in the Charleston Marriott.  

Outside, Don BlankCheck and the All Star Coal Baron Chorus sang specially-created songs protest to a crowd of about 60 people fed up with both mountaintop removal coal mining and Blankenship's buyout of democracy. Blankenship has admitted using $3.5 million (!) of his ill-gotten gains to fuel an exceedingly nasty campaign against WV Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw. 

Nauseatingly, Blankenship created a 527 named "And For the Sake of the Kids." He purchased loads of TV ads and had nice-lady recorded voices calling homes multiple times to spread smears about McGraw, who earlier, as a legislator, had opposed strip mining. Blankenship supported Brent Benjamin, a virtually unknown coal industry lawyer, in a campaign that garnered national attention for its nastiness. Looks like Blankenship has bought himself a Supreme Court Judge!

Before our protest, coalfield resident Bo Webb said, "At the workshop, the coal industry and its chief apologists won’t be talking the truth about the real national issues surrounding coal, such as mountaintop removal, mercury poisoning and global warming. The most topical current issue they will be avoiding is the corruption of politicians and the buyout of the democratic process by coal barons."

Coal River Mountain Watch's Patty Sebok said, "It’s obvious Blankenship has just removed one of his perceived challenges to coal production. He said he didn’t buy a Supreme Court Justice for Don Blankenship and he’s correct. He bought one for Massey Energy."

Sebok added, "Blankenship wants to abolish environmental laws, de-unionize miners and depopulate the coalfields, in any way he can. Blankenship needs to know that even though he has bought justice, he will never be able to buy peace in the coalfields.” 

Below are some pictures from our event, organized by several groups within the Friends of the Mountains coalition. 

Photo by Abe Mwaura

See sidebar for links to other pages