The Utah mine tragedy continues. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those miners who are still trapped.
Why do we continue to have these mining collapses?
CBS News has some information:
The chairman of Murray Energy Corp., the Ohio-based company that owns the Utah coal mine where six workers are trapped, is a strong Republican backer, a professional engineer and private pilot, and an outspoken critic of concerns about global warming.
Robert E. Murray insists his mines are safe....
.....Government mine inspectors have issued 325 citations against the Utah mine since January 2004, according to federal Mine Safety and Health Administration online records. Of those, 116 were what the government considered "significant and substantial," meaning they are likely to cause injury.....
.....Murray Energy Corp.'s political action committee has been an active contributor to GOP candidates.
The Murray Energy Corp. Political Action Committee has given more than $155,000 to Republican candidates, including $30,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, since 2005, according to Federal Election Commission records.
The committee donated to Republican Senate candidates such as George Allen in Virginia, now presidential candidate Sam Brownback of Kansas and Katherine Harris of Florida. It also gave to Ohio Republican Reps. Deborah Pryce and Patrick Tiberi, and Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich. The committee did not give to any Democrats during the same period, FEC records show.....
Very interesting.....