Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster: Massey Sues Mine Safety Regulator For Allegedly Violating Its Constitutional Rights

Wall Street Journal:

Massey Energy Co. sued the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and three of its officials Tuesday, arguing that the agency wouldn't approve ventilation practices in its mines that Massey says would have benefited the safety and health of miners.

The company, which is being investigated by the MSHA following an April explosion that killed 29 miners at its Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, W.Va., said it couldn't challenge the MSHA's ventilation-plan requirements under federal mine law. Massey said that violated its constitutional rights.

Read the whole story: Wall Street Journal

Comments

[Voting citizen]

11:40 AM on 06/25/2010

Ok when did this pig educate himself on constitutional rights? At his expensive drink and dinner parties? This man belongs in prison...period. I think his mines should go co-op with the miners being the new owners. This pigs greed has killed people he should pay for that greed.

[ElderChild]

09:23 PM on 06/24/2010

Taking the bait! And The LIES are swallowed, hook, line and sinker ;-(

Someone had written: "When I talk about people buying or being sold 'absolute junk' I'm not only talking about the material but also about the ideological. We are 'sold' on consumerism, the wars (Iraq), elections (the presidency), all manner of things. Unfortunately, so few people see that just because these ideas are on sale, that they don't actually have to buy them!"

Sadly, the multitudes have bought The LIES ;-(

The multitudes have taken the bait which is "ease of life", so-called, and The LIES were swallowed(believed),

hook(money),
line(politics/religion/education),
and sinker(science/technology/progress) ;-(

This place they call the u.s. of a. is the "bait"master and they catch their "fish" in every nation of this world ;-( Yet in england, france, germany, japan, etc, in all nations of this wicked world there are those who have become disciples of the "bait"master and they also have found other "waters" in which to catch their "fish" ;-(

And so it is that today there are multitudes in every nation under the sun that have taken the bait(ease of life), and swallowed(believed) the hook(money), the line(politics/religion/education) and the sinker(science/technology/progress) ;-(

Tempted, hooked, reeled in, and held captive as they but serve "time" in the prison that is this wicked world ;-(

(continued http://asimpleandspirituallife.blogspot.com/2008/10/taking-bait-and-lie-is-swallowed-hook.html

[ekyprogressive]

10:14 AM on 06/24/2010

Oil/Coal, same problem, no oversight and they do what they want. Regulators don't have a chance against the companies, Here in Kentucky, a whistleblower lawsuit shows how deep the rabbit hole can go...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/6/24/878856/-Coals-Cozy-Lack-Of-Oversight.-New-Violations-Brings-Out-the-Ghosts..wPoll.

[MNKen]

08:05 AM on 06/24/2010

"The company...said it couldn't challenge the MSHA's ventilation-plan requirements under federal mine law. Massey said that violated its constitutional rights."

If "the company" has constitutional rights as an individual does, then which officers of the company are going to be charged with murder?

[Osusuki]

03:08 AM on 06/24/2010

Constitutional rights?!?!?!?!? How about we solve this issue by moving the corporate offices of the mining company down to the lowest gallery of its most dangerous mine? Then maybe somebody would get the idea that they don't have a "constitutional right" to make the workplace a death trap.

[JonBFertippton]

08:15 PM on 06/23/2010

Massey has bought so many judges that they probably believe they can bring the federal government to its knees, the way they do to their usual victims. This case will give them a bit of extra time to buy off a few more politicians.

[BambooHarvester]

08:11 PM on 06/23/2010

In the U$A BIG crime pays well !

[bcmom]

07:36 PM on 06/23/2010

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fattonecat]

03:59 PM on 06/23/2010

Disgusting Wretch !!

[Enock Zamora]

03:00 PM on 06/23/2010

I am sure the money, Massey and his pals, spent on the local Judges will see it his way.

[MekhongKurt]

02:35 PM on 06/23/2010

Wonder if this guy has been taking a "power PR course" -- taught by former employees of the MMS and folks from BP's current PR crop of people!

[nhunter]

01:21 PM on 06/23/2010

Blankenship is no stranger to attempting to bend the law to get what he wants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caperton_v._A.T._Massey_Coal_Co.

[Gidster]

01:12 PM on 06/23/2010

THIS is why corporations do not have actual citizenship rights.......No matter how hard teh Roberts court wishes to make it so.

IF a citizen caused the deaths of 29 men, he would be on trial, if a corporation's practices cause the deaths of 29 men, the corporations sues the regulators and investigators for investigating????

Unbelievable......

Mr. Blankenship, Massey Energy Inc., has no actual Constitutional rights........BUt good luck with that nonsense..

[michaelws]

01:27 PM on 06/23/2010

X2

[LiberalDem]

11:58 AM on 06/23/2010

Don Blankenship....another piece of slime despoiling the planet earth.

[Ricardo01]

11:37 AM on 06/23/2010

Ya see judge, we are not wanting to give up our right to take the fifth, if ya know what I mean. Judge, dats a nice courtroom ya have, would be a shame if sometin happened to it.