Making One Year Count

“By law, he served his sentence,” Bybee-Finley said. “But I think our laws are unjust if they value the lives of workers so little.”

This campaign gives me hope that things will change. You all did that.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-coal-campaign-2017-story.html

'Dear murderer': With a letter a day, West Virginian tried to remind coal executive of his role in 29 deaths When Massey Energy Company CEO Don Blankenship received just a 1-year sentence for his part in the deaths at the Upper Big Branch mine, lots of people were outraged. One decided to take action.

Investors tried to sue the directors of Massey Energy Co of turning a blind eye to a series of safety failures at Massey’s Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. But were unsuccessful. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-04/massey-investor-lawsuit-over-mine-safety-failures-thrown-out

Massey Investor Suit Tossed as Blankenship Nears Freedom Former Massey Energy Co. directors won’t have to face an investor lawsuit blaming them for a series of safety failures that led to the deaths of 29 coal-mine workers.

April 5th was the 7 year anniversary of the UBB disaster. My heart goes out to the miners and their families and friends. Where are we now with mine safety? Getting the emergency contact phone numbers right.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20170404/7-years-after-ubb-report-finds-continued-mine-emergency-lapses

7 years after UBB, report finds continued mine emergency lapses Seven years after the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, federal regulators are still not fully implementing congressionally mandated reforms of the nation’s program for responding to coal mine emergencies, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Inspector General.

You haven't heard from me in a while. But good news: http://wvpublic.org/post/blankenship-conviction-affirmed-will-finish-1-year-sentence
I have run out of letters, please write some more.

Blankenship Conviction Affirmed, Will Finish 1-Year Sentence A panel of appellate judges has affirmed a ruling that sent former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship to prison. The decision means he’ll serve out the

If you want to read more about Don Blankenship's appeals process, check this out: http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/coaltattoo/2016/10/24/read-about-the-don-blankenship-appeal/

Read about the Don Blankenship Appeal We’ve got a story online from Sunday’s Gazette-Mail that previews this week’s oral argument on former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship’s appeal of his criminal convi…

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/lawmakers-react-to-blankenship-manifesto/article_df8217e8-9554-5dbe-8e7c-526507dc418b.html

Was Blankenship's sentence Constitutional? I guess it depends whether you've read the Constitution or not. This article speculates if he is trying to gain a favorable opinion for the appeal.

Lawmakers react to Blankenship 'manifesto' HUNTINGTON - At least four Cabell County legislators have received copies of a booklet containing arguments from Don Blankenship in which Blankenship declares himself a political prisoner.

Making One Year Count will run out of letters this month. Consider writing a letter. Don't let this man get off so easily.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/convicted-ex-massey-ceo-calls-self-political-prisoner-in-booklet-1475622347

Convicted Ex-Massey CEO Calls Self ‘Political Prisoner’ in Booklet Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who is serving a one-year sentence in federal prison for violating mine safety laws, is issuing a highly unusual personal defense this week, using a 67-page booklet to declare that he is an “American Political Prisoner.”

In briefs filed earlier this year, Blankenship’s attorneys complained that the jury pool in Charleston was biased against him...

Arguments set for October in ex-Massey CEO's appeal CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Oral arguments are set in federal court for October in former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship's appeal of his conviction related to the deadliest U.S. mine explosion in four decades. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of...

Thanks OVEC for writing about the campaign. Check out the graphic describing Making One Year Count. http://ohvec.org/write-don-blankenship/

This article is political but it was written by a West Virginian, an old friend, and another person tired of mining companies choosing profits over people: Paige Lavender. We have to think about industries beyond coal. We have to be involved in shaping regulations that protect our people AND guide industries to success. These two things are not mutually exclusive.

Coal Mine Owners’ Sacrifice.mining companies have historically been able to choose profit over safety...

Don Blankenship, a Trump supporter and former CEO of Massey Energy who was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine for federal mine safety violations, was paid $18 million in 2009. Twenty-nine miners died in one of Blankenship’s mines in 2010.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-sacrifice_us_57a0a538e4b0693164c28855?

Donald Trump Doesn't Seem To Know The Meaning Of Sacrifice “I don’t have to be with you people ranting and raving.”

Between semesters I've been visiting with people and groups across West Virginia asking them to write letters. When they ask for contact info, I hand them this card:

Here are the transcript and photos of the letter I received from Don Blankenship because of our letter-writing campaign. In it, he enclosed a letter that was bothersome to him. I hope to get more letters to send his way, so please write yours here (or email to [email protected]) and ask a friend to write a letter.