Massey Energy, Owner of Ill-Fated Coal Mine, Frequently Targets Politicians
Published by Dave Levinthal on April 6, 2010
Massey Energy, owner of West Virginia's Upper Big Branch coal mine where an explosion Monday killed at least 25 people, has long involved itself in federal-level politics through campaign contributions and lobbying efforts, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
In all, people associated with Massey Energy, along with the company's political action committee, have together contributed more than $307,000 to federal political candidates since the 1990 election cycle, the Center finds. Of that money, 91 percent went to Republican candidates.
That's in addition to several million dollars the company's chairman and chief executive poured into a West Virginia judicial race in 2004.
Don Blankenship, Massey Energy's chairman and chief executive officer, is a particularly active political bankroller, having in recent years donated tens of thousands of dollars to a variety of federal political interests.
For example, Blankenship last year contributed the federal maximum -- $30,400 -- to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The federal political action committee West Virginians for Life also received a $5,000 contribution from Blankenship in 2004, the Center's research finds.
Among candidates, Inhofe, U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman of Ohio are among recent recipients of Blankenship's money.
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http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/04/massey-energy-owner-of-ill-fated-co.html