by Ron Gregory
ronjgregory@gmail.com
CHARLESTON – Political observers have guessed for some time that former Massey Energy chief operating officer Don Blankenship would support a candidate to challenge U.S. Senator Joe Manchin next year.
Now, informed sources close to Blankenship confirm that the former coal executive will run against Manchin himself in what reportedly would be a $25 million campaign. Blankenship confirmed yesterday that he will likely make the run. In an exclusive exchange with the Chronicle, the former coal executive said, “The truth about UBB (Upper Big Branch) has to be told. Miners’ lives will be at greater risk until the truth is told, mine safety laws are enhanced and MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) broken in two so that inspectors are not also investigators of tragedies they cause.”
Bad blood runs deep between Democrat Manchin and Republican Blankenship. In 2005, for example, Blankenship and Manchin engaged in a political and legal battle over a state bond election. If voters had approved the bond issue, over $5 billion would have been generated to fund underfunded pension plans for teachers, judges and other public employees. Manchin, then governor, touted the bond issue as financial salvation for a hard-pressed state government. Blankenship openly opposed the amendment. In various legal battles between Manchin and Blankenship at that time, Blankenship went so far as to accuse the governor of threatening retaliatory action against Blankenship and Massey through state agencies that regulated the coal giant. In one court ruling, entered by the Fourth Federal Circuit in Richmond, the court dismissed Manchin’s claim of qualified immunity.
The war of words intensified after the UBB tragedy claimed miners’ lives in 2010. In a 2014 ABC News interview, Manchin said, “I believe this (the UBB tragedy) permeated from the top down — from Don Blankenship down. I believe that Don has blood on his hands. And I believe the justice will be done.” Blankenship returned scathing comments directed toward the senator as well.
Although only convicted of a misdemeanor in federal court for conspiracy to willfully violate mine safety and health standards, Blankenship spent a year in a federal penal institution. He was released from custody a few weeks ago.
Manchin was highly critical of the ex-CEO, continuing to make numerous comments about his alleged guilt in connection with the deaths. Despite a five-year federal probe, Blanenship was not charged with knowingly causing any deaths to occur. He was, however, indicted on four felony charges. A jury that repeatedly reported to Federal District Judge Irene Berger that they were hopelessly deadlocked eventually returned the one misdemeanor conviction.
During the trial and in subsequent interviews, Blankenship has asserted that UBB was forced by government inspectors to reduce the air flow, resulting in the explosion that claimed the miners’ lives..
In his discussion with the Chronicle yesterday, Blankenship maintained, “the truth is obvious. Their (government) witnesses and science both say the explosion was a natural gas explosion which occurred just after MSHA insisted the air flow be cut in half. What more do you need?”
He continued, “Coal bed methane does not contain ethane nor propane. Natural gas which comes out of the ground contains both and the gas coming out of UBB after the explosion based on MSHA’s own samples and analyses contained both. The gas was identical to the gas coming from natural gas wells in the area.”
Blankenship concluded, “The government’s own witnesses testified UBB was forced to reduce the airflow despite UBB management pleading it not be done. The government’s lead witness testified to that he ‘begged’ them not to do it. Saying missing miner bits and plugged water sprays caused an explosive mine atmosphere is quite simply silly.”
Blankenship has been an outspoken critic of many Democrats, including Manchin, for years. Several years ago, he led successful efforts to defeat an incumbent Democrat supreme court justice and later helped finance campaigns aimed at wrestling the majority in the state legislature from Democrat to Republican. Although that effort initially failed to overturn the 80-year Democrat monopoly, pundits believe it laid the groundwork for what are now Republican majorities in both the state house of delegates and senate.
Assuming Blankenship enters the race as a Republican, he would apparently join previously-announced candidate Congressman Evan Jenkins in the 2018 primary. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is also said to be planning to announce his Republican candidacy within days.
Blankenship has long been a polarizing personality, often explaining that “people either love me or hate me.”
Much of that division was seen during his federal trial, as family members of those who perished at UBB sat through testimony and deliberations praying for felony guilty verdicts. Others supported Blankenship and said he had done nothing wrong. Ironically, he was made to serve his prison sentence in a facility that housed nothing but felony convicts, except for him.
During his time in jail, Blankenship wrote, published and distributed a book that described him as an “American political prisoner” and told his side of the story. The 67-page booklet was mailed to thousands of West Virginia residents.
When he was released from jail, Manchin issued yet another statement condemning the ex-CEO. “Don Blankenship doesn’t have to answer to me and he doesn’t have to answer to federal authorities any more,” Manchin said in a press release. “But he does have to answer to the loved ones of the miners who died in his mine for the rest of his life.
“His refusal to accept responsibility for his criminal actions even now only exacerbates these grieving families’ pain. The families of the fallen 29 brave miners deserve better, so I hope that Mr. Blankenship chooses to do the right thing and disappear from the public eye.”
Based on Blankenship’s comments this weekend, it does not appear that he intends to take the senator’s advice.
Although Blankenship currently claims an out-of-state home as his residence, one political consultant said, “that can be fixed pretty quickly. You know he owns property in West Virginia where he can relocate, if he needs to, in order to run.”
The filing period for the 2018 election begins and ends in January. The primaries will be in May with the general election in November.