CHARLESTON, W.Va.--Massey CEO Don Blankenship said in a weekend TV interview that "evil people" have ascended the ranks of power in the United States and implied Sen. Jay Rockefeller was among them.
In an appearance on the WBOY and WOWK show "Decision Makers," Blankenship was asked about the impact of Rockefeller's comments that Massey was a "rogue" operator.
Rockefeller, D-W.Va., was being critical of Massey and Blankenship following the explosion last month at the company's Upper Big Branch mine that killed 29.
Blankenship said the comment was "total nonsense."
"I think about how evil people can be and how misplaced their priorities can be and unfortunate it is that people that can reach the level of senator or president or representative or head of the union - how wrong they can be," Blankenship said. "But I've seen a lot of it over my time."
A spokeswoman for Rockefeller's office said Monday, "Sen. Rockefeller's priorities have been clear since day one: to find out exactly what happened at the Upper Big Branch mine, demand accountability - at all levels - and take action to make mines safer."
Blankenship also said the reason some other mine operators may not want to associate with Massey is that "we always tell the truth about issues" that nobody wants to associate with. That includes criticizing what Blankenship considers safety regulations that are not pragmatic and an approach to regulation by the government that he feels often leaves regulators and companies at loggerheads.
Blankenship also shot back at United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts, a longtime critic of Massey's operations, which are only about 1 percent unionized.
Roberts told a U.S. Senate committee last week people "at the very top" of Massey knew what was going on in the mine, which had a history of safety violations. Roberts suggested criminal prosecutions.
Blankenship said Roberts can say what he wants, "but it doesn't change anything."
"It's really sad, because Cecil has no more idea what happened at UBB than I do, and it's political agenda - he's, you know, it's almost like Goober or Barney on an 'Andy Griffith' running around, 'Citizen's arrest,' or something," Blankenship said.
Blankenship also criticized President Barack Obama for getting most of his advice from "the union element." He also said he hasn't had an opportunity to talk with Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va. Although he shook hands with Rahall at some point, Blankenship said he had not had discussions with him about "any of these outlandish statements." Blankenship did not specify the statements.
Blankenship singled out Gov. Joe Manchin for praise during the "Decision Makers" interview.
"He's continued to be reasonable in both his public comments and his private comments." Blankenship said.
He added, "The governor gets very high marks."
Blankenship and Massey officials held a press conference early last week and have continued to defend themselves from criticism over the April 5 Upper Big Branch explosion, the worst U.S. coal mining disaster in 40 years.
For most of last week, the company went tit-for-tat with government officials who the company says are politicizing the explosion. The company has released a flurry of press releases responding to regulators' claims, attacks by the UMWA or media reports.
Regulators and elected officials, in turn, say Massey is different from other mining companies and does not show as much regard for its employees' safety.
The company has sparred with people who have suggested the company is responsible for the mine explosion given that investigators have yet to enter the mine. A final report is not expected for months.
But following a preliminary report from the U.S. Mine Health and Safety Administration, Obama had said the death of the miners was "a failure first and foremost of management."
Federal regulators had cited Upper Big Branch for hundreds of violations, including several dozen in the month before the April 5 explosion.
Blankenship also criticized MSHA for a press release it put out last week just before the start of the Senate hearing.
That release announced "surprise inspections" at three Massey-owned mines. Blankenship said the release failed to note, until a couple of paragraphs in, that two of the inspections happened before the Upper Big Branch explosion or that Massey itself had disciplined several of the people involved.
-----------
Entire article posted -
source
Author