A day after disgraced former coal executive Don Blankenship showed up at a protest outside a Hillary Clinton campaign event in West Virginia, the campaign struck back by saying it was “proud” not to have his support.
Talley Sergent, the state director in West Virginia for Clinton’s campaign, said Blankenship’s presence outside a campaign stop was “pretty outrageous.” Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy, was in charge of a mine that blew up and killed 29 people in 2010 in West Virginia. He was sentenced last month to a year in jail for conspiring to violate federal mine safety standards.
“It was a pretty outrageous sight to see Don Blankenship, of all people, apparently rallying against Hillary Clinton’s plans and commitment to help our coal communities,” Sergent said. “As president, Hillary Clinton will prioritize federal legislation to make sure the likes of Don Blankenship can never get away with showing such blatant disregard for our miners and their safety.”
Clinton is taking a two-day trip through coal country this week and has been met with significant backlash in West Virginia. Many in the state have not forgiven her March comments that she would put coal miners “out of business” with new environmental regulations as president, though she has tried to walk back those comments during the trip.
West Virginia’s economy has suffered in recent years as coal has fallen out of favor as a source of energy in the U.S. The combination of the rise of natural gas and the Obama administration’s stricter environmental regulations have caused coal prices to fall and led to many coal companies struggling to survive.
The two biggest U.S. coal companies, Peabody Energy and Arch Coal, have filed for bankruptcy protection this year.
While the vitriol aimed at Clinton in West Virginia during the last two days shows many blame her, by proxy, for the economic crisis in the state, the campaign nonetheless tried to cast Blankenship’s protest in general election terms.
“Our campaign is proud not to have Don Blankenship’s endorsement,” Sergent said. “If Donald Trump wants to accept his support, then he owes a serious explanation to the families of our miners we lost at Upper Big Branch and the people of West Virginia.”
