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.
People and PACs associated with Massey Energy have collectively donated five-figure sums to three federal-level candidates since the 1990 election cycle: failed 2008 Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim Gilmore of Virginia ($17,600), Senate Minority Leader and Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell ($13,550) and failed 1998 Democratic U.S. House candidate James MacCallum of West Virginia ($13,500).
Among the current Congress, 16 members -- 12 Republicans and four Democrats -- have at some point received campaign contributions from Massey Energy's employees or its PAC.
The list includes $3,300 to Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), $2,400 to Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), $1,750 to House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and $1,700 to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Already during the 2010 election cycle, Massey employees and PACs have donated nearly $37,000 to federal political candidates -- all to Republicans. That follows a Massey Energy trend started in 2000, in which all reported donations from the company's employees and PAC to federal political candidates went to Republicans.
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.
(Download the full list of Massey-related campaign contributions to federal candidates here: masseyenergymoney.xls. When using this data, you must cite the Center for Responsive Politics.)
Blankenship was also at the center for the Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co. legal challenge in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a West Virginia state judge was required to recuse himself from a case involving Massey Energy.
In 2004, Blankenship contributed $3 million to the campaign of Brent Benjamin, who after winning a seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, provided key votes in overturning a $50 million judgement against Massey Energy.
That same year, Blankenship contributed $2.46 million to a federal 527 committee called And for the Sake of the Kids, which opposed the election of West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Warren McGraw with an aggressive media campaign.
During the 2008 election cycle, the Center for Responsive Politics and the National Institute on Money in State Politics found that PACs and people associated Massey Energy contributed $27,100 to federal candidates and another $27,000 to state-level candidates, including two West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals candidates and Kentucky Republican gubernatorial candidate Ernie Fletcher.
Massey Energy also engages in federal lobbying efforts, although minimally: Its disclosure reports between 2005 and 2009 indicate it spent less than the mandatory reporting threshold each year. (The disclosure threshold was $10,000 in expenditures through 2007, and since, it's $5,000.)
In 2009, Massey Energy reported lobbying on taxation issues, the Center's research indicates. It described its lobbying activity as such: "Seeking amendment, in the 111th Congress, to 1402(a) of Title XIV of the Water Resources Development Act."
Overall, the mining industry has sharply increased its federal lobbying efforts in recent years, more than tripling its expenditures between 2004 ($10.2 million) and 2008 ($30.8 million).
The mining industry's federal lobbying output remained significant in 2009, although its expenditure total, about $26 million, proved to be slightly off its record level the year prior. Peabody Energy ($5.8 million), CONSOL Energy ($3.4 million), the National Mining Association ($2.8 million) and Arch Coal ($2 million) led the industry last year in federal lobbying expenditures.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/04/massey-energy-owner-of-ill-fated-co.htmlSurprise, surprise!!!!
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
