Coal Mine CEO Blankenship's Revealing Tweets

By: Laura Strickler
Topics: News

"Believe me yet? Global warming is a hoax and a Ponzi scheme."

Those are the words from a Feb. 19th tweet written by Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who is in the spotlight following the deaths of 25 miners at his company's Upper Big Branch Mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia.

A CBS News review of Blankenship's tweets since early January finds him railing against environmentalists.

Blankenship takes the Sierra Club to task for tying up the legal system with "frivolous lawsuits." He criticizes environmentalist activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for taking government subsidies for his solar business, "RFK Jr. says green jobs will replace coal jobs. He's spending $1.4 billion to create 86 solar jobs. Massey employs 6000 workers. Do the math."

But on February 5th Blankenship had high praise for the federal agency that regulates his industry, the Mine Safety and Health Administration. He tweeted, "I applaud MSHA for recent focus on studying most common conditions/practices leading to accidents. Sounds very promising."

But Blankenship's company lagged far behind in its payments of MSHA penalties. The Upper Big Branch Mine South had 458 violations issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration in 2009 according to agency records including seven ventilation violations in March 2010 alone. MSHA records show the mine has over $240,000 listed as "delinquent" penalties since January 2008 that have not been paid.

Blankenship is an active political operative who made $41,300 in direct campaign contributions to GOP candidates since January 2008. Donations went to Republican candidates including $30,400 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee in November of 2009.

More about the Mine Disaster

Photos: W. Va. Mine Explosion

W. Va. Coal Mine Blast: The Victims

In Coal Mines, Risk of Death Is Part of Life

Mines not Paying Fines a Familiar Story

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by cbsblogger April 10, 2010 12:05 AM EDT: If corporations are super-people (according to SCOTUS) why isn't the head of Massey corporation in prison for failing to pay obligations just as I would be if I failed to pay my taxes.; Reply to this comment


by midlclass April 8, 2010 1:20 PM EDT: as a further note. if there is found to be willful violations on the companies part. the executives on up to massy should be charged with at the very least man slaughter, if not second degree homicide. stripped of the company and have it signed over to the families that lost there loved ones. an example needs to be made of this.; Reply to this comment


by akita96th April 7, 2010 9:18 AM EDT: yes another reason we should ban out right any campaign contributions from corporations or private empires like his because it has moraly bankrupted this nations goverment all decisions made by congress is not in our behalf it always considers the profit margins of corporations all laws are made in favor of these evil entities they are the very ones who have broke the back of this country not social programs like they want to brainwash you into believing. Republicans are more prone for legislation to keep their corporation croonies paying them big bucks and a majority of Dems are now on the company payroll so next time VOTE NONE OF THE ABOVE; Reply to this comment


by John_Merritt April 6, 2010 10:02 PM EDT: Who really cares whether it is a hoax or a ponzi scheme? I look outside at our rivers and they are cluttered with trash, tires, oils and crud from the industries you guys create and destroy our way of life. The very way of life that we will not even begin to appreciate 50 years from now.

I won't be around but I promise you there will be a father wanting to take his kids to the lake ot the beach to have fun, and they won't even be able to go in the water. Out waterways are crap, our drinking water is foul, our animal life is dying off, our soils are soiled, our air is not fit to breathe, we have toxins and pollutants everywhere you look.

We have environmental conditions creating 'toxic homes'. You may cast a dim view of the plight of the planet and the people; but the rest of us give a care (say that loosely). It is about time you guys start doing something right instead of everything wrong.; Reply to this comment


by vielmann April 6, 2010 9:22 PM EDT: Another pig who thinks money should come before the lives of people. He should have to tweet in jail.; Reply to this comment


by SusanStoHelit April 6, 2010 7:56 PM EDT: Sounds like how his mine collapsed - he valued money more than lives, more than the truth, and thus he prefers to pretend not to know the truth. Whether it's safety conditions at his mine, endangering his workers, or global warming, endangering us all.; Reply to this comment


by emaus-2009 April 6, 2010 7:14 PM EDT: This idiot needs to find his moral compass, pay his company's fines and simply do the right thing. He's a pompous, clueless, classless jerk. In other words, a typical Repub.; Reply to this comment


by liberalameri April 6, 2010 6:52 PM EDT: in China this guy would already have a state sponsored bullet in the back of his head; Reply to this comment


by sjc_1 April 6, 2010 6:30 PM EDT: They ought to put this guy behind bars for willful negligence. His company has the money to put in the proper safety, but they don't. Notice the name on the mine, Performance. In other words they want the coal out of the ground no matter what.; Reply to this comment


by porcine_aviator April 6, 2010 5:51 PM EDT: Another fine Republican.

Can't pay his fines. Can't "afford" to install legally required ventilation shafts. Can't figure out global warming and lashes out at environmentalists. Hates anyone that actually thinks he should be expected to behave like he has a GD brain.

No wonder the Republicans are hosting fundraisers in seedy bondage clubs. The main constituency of the GOP today is the morally depraved and mentally vacant.; Reply to this comment