Almost level, West Virginia

4 Responses to Almost level, West Virginia

1. mike roddy says:

   March 30, 2010 at 1:47 pm

   Thanks to Tonya Adkins for her hauntingly beautiful voice.

   If the people stepped aside, the Masseys would turn all of Appalachia into poisoned pits. Fighting them is the only thing they respect, and certainly the only thing that will slow them down.

   We learned this out West, where all of the Northwest coastal forests have been destroyed. Negotiations became another word for surrender. The big NGO’s still have not learned this- or maybe they don’t want to.
2. Jay says:

   March 30, 2010 at 10:34 pm

   Mike, it is hard to keep getting funded (paid) if you solve the problem!
3. Owen says:

   March 31, 2010 at 4:01 pm

   Coal politics in West Virginia has in interesting history.

   “Chief Justice Maynard was in the 3-to-2 majority in a November [2007] decision that threw out a $50 million jury verdict against affiliates of the executive’s company, Massey Energy. With interest, the award is worth more than $70 million.”

   http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/19/us/19judge.html

   Justice Maynard later reluctantly disqualified himself from further involvement in the case after photos were published of himself and Don Blankenship, Massey Energy’s chief executive, socializing in Monte Carlo a year prior to the ruling.

   Another judge in the majority opinion, Justice Benjamin, received $3 million in advertisements and other support from Blankenship. Motions were filed by the plaintiffs to have Justice Benjamin disqualified from the case. A previous disqualification request was declined by the judge.

   Justice Maynard lost his reelection bid in May 2008 despite raising the most money. In April 2008 the court decided again in favor of Massey Energy with Justice Benjamin again voting for the majority.

   http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/us/15judge.html

   The US Supreme Court was asked to review the case. The Supreme Court, in a 5-to-4 decisions, ruled elected judges must disqualify themselves from cases when there has been a “disproportionate influence” by the spending of an involved party.

   http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/us/politics/09scotus.html

   In 2010 the West Virginia State Legislature “approved a pilot program of voluntary public financing for two State Supreme Court elections in 2012.”

   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/opinion/19fri3.html
4. johna says:

   April 1, 2010 at 12:03 pm

   This mining method should be the first to go. It accounts for only 5% of coal production but the damage is immense and permanent.