Watchdog Groups Call for Criminal Charges Against Don Blankenship (Massey CEO) For Homicide

[kpete]

Source: PR News Wire

Watchdog Groups Call for Criminal Charges Against U.S. Chamber of Commerce Director Don Blankenship for Homicide


29 Dead In West Virginia Mine Because Of Chamber Policies

Congress Members Must Order Halt To Contact With Chamber Lobbyists

WASHINGTON, April 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- StopTheChamber.com, a coalition of NGOs dedicated to corporate and government accountability, has been warning for months about the devastating effect of U.S. Chamber of Commerce policies on the well being of Americans. Specifically, the Chamber has spent hundreds of millions to fight any regulation of its dues paying members and any regulation of pollution caused by those members. These actions have been led by Chamber CEO Tom Donohue and Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, the latter who runs vast coal mining operations in West Virginia, including the serial offending Upper Big Branch mine where 29 miners were killed last week.

"The convergence of the Chamber's policies against regulation of workplace safety and the disaster of mining coal without regard for the environmental impact resulted in the death of 29 hard working West Virginian miners," said attorney and StopTheChamber.com spokesman Kevin Zeese. "This was not an accident, but rather the result of deliberate and intentional decisions and actions of Don Blankenship, a director of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Blankenship and Chamber CEO Tom Donohue must be held accountable for these deaths. What is it going to take for Congress and the President to stop coddling criminals, masquerading as legitimate businessmen, who cause the death of our loved ones? Blankenship, with the lobbying army of the Chamber to back him up, has thumbed his nose at the Mine Safety and Health Administration, ignoring or appealing every violation, including the scores that resulted in coal mine evacuations and the hundreds of other serious violations. As the Washington Post pointed out in a Saturday editorial, these 29 deaths would not have occurred absent this intentional conduct of Blankenship. He is just as criminally culpable as any mass murderer."

StopTheChamber.com calls for the immediate arrest of Don Blankenship for homicide, and a complete criminal investigation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its CEO Tom Donohue to determine what policies and practices led to the death of these miners, whether Chamber lobbyists and lawyers were used to cover-up or avoid compliance with safety regulations, whether Massey Energy, the Chamber and others conspired to create the conditions that caused the deaths, and whether the Chamber is being used to pressure those in various political branches to stop a criminal investigation. Criminal prosecution of the perpetrators of this terrible crime will ensure accountability, expose the Chamber's criminal conduct and pave the way for real worker safety across the nation.


Read more: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watchdog-groups-call-for-criminal-charges-against-us-chamber-of-commerce-director-don-blankenship-for-homicide-90602334.html

[no limit]

1. Well now that corporations are people that sounds like a great idea

[Bitwit1234]

17. It is the right thing to do, but it will never happen. Because

these people have too much money to ever be held accountable for any thing they do. And they know it and the state knows it. They won't bother to even check into this.

If these corporations were held accountable in just one incident, they would soon learn CRIME DOES NOT PAY...BUT THEY ALL KNOW CRIME DOES PAY, IF YOU ARE A CORPORATION. And lives don't matter.

That's why the tea bags and the radical republican politicans are getting away with all they do also.

[dmr]

22. The politicians are part of the problem. An investigation would expose

all the pay-offs from politicians, to judges, to regulators, to who knows who else.

The best way to do this is if the DOJ appoints a Special Prosecutor. I hope he does, because this is murder. If it hurts the judges and politicians, so be it.

[tango-tee]

24. When you mention "getting away with all they do" in your last sentence,

please don't discount the culpability of this current administration.

[earcandle]

2. Right! Now we can put corporations to death! Wow. what a concept. All the people that run the

place go to skid row and wait for their scheduled
electrocutions!  

I bet that will keep people off the payrolls of slimy criminal
corps. 

[Turborama]

6. That's what I've been thinking. If they want to have the same rights as a person

they have to pay the same penalties when they commit crimes.

I'd love to see "Big Coal" go down and wind farms go up.

We need this...



Not this...

[pinboy3niner]

3. This is not a time for hysteria

Allow the investigations to conclude. Then, in the calm, cool light of reason, let the blame fall where it may--and then prosecute to the hilt!

[Dr.Phool]

4. The real Death Panels.

Chamber of Commerce.

[Oceansaway]

5. K&R...n/t

[LynneSin]

7. There should be 29 counts of murder lodged against him. He knew the mines were dangerous

The man had 2.2million dollars in fines against him for the shoddy conditions of the mines. Perhaps if he invested 2.2million in getting those mines up to standard instead of adding to his profit statement, those miners would still be alive today.

[dotymed]

8. They have millions more peasants

that want these (to us) high paying jobs. I ruined my health as a Union carpenter for decades. Now that my Dr.'s say I can''t (and I can't) work...The Social Security dept. screws me. They will do this until I am ineligible for working benefits (not even 50 yet), then I can get SSI which is less than 1/2 of SSD and I still won't live to see my retirement benefits. What a country! If I had enough $$ to buy a farm, I could let them pay me not to farm...then I could be just like most of the teabadgers screaming about lower taxes and less WELFARE...

[pleah]

9. K&R

[Hubert Flottz]

10. K&R

Dirty Donnie will go right on doing what he's been doing. He's above the law like Bush and Cheney.

[howmad1]

11. Whoever said "Crime does not pay"......

is a fucking moron.

[Greyhound]

14. Huge crime pays better than anything else in the game. n/t

[JohnWxy]

12. recommended. When does cost cutting and risking lives become premeditated homicide?

He had inadequate ventilation in that mine and he knew it. He was gambling with miners lives to save a few bucks.

[Hubert Flottz]

13. Same thing as robbing a bank to get money and shooting down

twenty nine by-standers or bank guards who are in the wrong place at the wrong time?

[walldude]

15. I'm waiting for the life insurance shoe to drop

A guy like this probably had policies on all his employees, if he did a murder charge would actually stick.

[glinda]

16. The Chamber of Horrors is killing our Country, ALL of our Country.

[midnight]

18. K&R

[HughMoran]

19. The Chamber is a right-wing extention of Faux News and must be destroyed

I hope they can discredit and drive these right-wing wackos into oblivion.

[Turborama]

20. James Arthur Ray was arrested and charged with manslaughter for the sweat lodge deaths

How is Blankeship's guilt any different? In fact it's worse, considering the huge amount of warnings and violations that preceded the deaths of the 29 miners.

:kick:

[kestrel91316]

21. Chamber of Commerce = the REAL death panel

[Petrushka]

23. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Kingofalldems]

25. Kick this for the sneaky freepers

[CLANG]

26. Good idea!