From The Charleston Gazette:
Don Blankenship, the longtime chief executive of Massey Energy, was indicted today on charges that he violated federal mine safety laws at the company’s Upper Big Branch Mine prior to an April 2010 explosion that killed 29 miners.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin this afternoon informed representatives of the families of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster victims that a four-count indictment had been handed up by a federal grand jury charging Blankenship.
The indictment alleges that Blankenship conspired to cause routine, willful violations of mandatory federal mine safety and health standards at Upper Big Branch during a period from Jan. 1, 2008, to April 9, 2010, according to a notice Goodwin’s office sent to the families.
The notice also said that the indictment alleges Blankenship was part of a conspiracy to cover up mine safety violations and hinder federal enforcement efforts by providing advance warning of government inspections. The indictment also alleges that, after the explosion, Blankenship made false statements to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about Massey’s safety practices prior to the explosion, the notice to families says.
http://www.wvgazette.com/...
For but a taste of Blankenship's almost cartoon-level villainy, here is an excerpt from Greenpeace's PolluterWatch.com:
As Blankenship fought a lawsuit against Massey related to the poisoning of community members through severe wellwater contamination, Blankenship installed a waterline to bring clean water to his own estate. The new system did not bring clean water to Blankenship's neighbors, who continue to fall ill from the effects of leaking coal ash slurry from abandoned mines and storage ponds.
http://www.polluterwatch.com/...
For decades, this man has been an outspoken anti-Union, global-warming denying greed lord. One can only hope he does some serious jail time.
For more on this story, check out the terrific diary by blonde moment:
http://www.dailykos.com/...