BREAKING:FBI Investigating Possible BRIBERY Of Mine Safety Officials By OWNER Of W.Va. Disaster Mine

[Segami]

" NPR News has learned that the Mine Safety and Health Administration is the target of a federal criminal investigation surrounding the explosion of the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia three weeks ago -- a disaster that killed 29 miners. The probe also targets Massey Energy, the owner of the mine.


Sources familiar with the investigation say the FBI is looking into possible bribery of officials of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that inspects and regulates mining. The sources say FBI agents are also exploring potential criminal negligence on the part of Massey Energy, the owner of the Upper Big Branch mine.


Massey has been cited repeatedly for violations of federal safety regulations and unsubstantiated rumors have circulated for years that mine inspectors and other officials receive payoffs. The FBI declines comment and neither confirms nor denies that an investigation is ongoing.


In a statement to NPR, Massey Energy says it is not aware of the allegations, and is fully cooperating with any investigations taking place. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has yet to respond to a request for comment.


(Howard Berkes is an NPR correspondent who focuses on rural affairs. The audio of his report follows. Dina Temple-Raston is an NPR correspondent who focuses on national security and counterterrorism.)

audio

<http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/04/fbi_probing_fed_officials_and.html>

[Dappleganger]

1. Holy shit

what a shocker.

Not.

[madmax]

6. Truth!! nt

[AuntPatsy]

8. + 1

[Beetwasher]

2. Fuck Yeah!

See. This is what a properly functioning DOJ does. I almost forgot.

[Segami]

5. How long will it take for the first Mine Inspector to jump ship and cut a deal with the FEDs

to save their own hides?

[MajorChode]

33. Probably not very long

My guess is the media's sources are pretty reliable. If and when the FBI officially says they are investigating, we'll know they have some very solid evidence.

[Usrename]

43. I thought the courts ruled that bribery is free speech.

I can't see this going anywhere.

[Segami]

46. I'm not a lawyer but here is the ' bribery law ' and legal definition. Is it applicable to

the Mine Inspectors, Blankenship, Massey Energy Owners et al who are directly or indirectly in violation of its legal definition. You can judge for yourself to determine if they qualify.



BRIBERY LAW & LEGAL DEFINITION


Bribery in criminal law refers to the improper acceptance by a public official, juror, or someone bound by a duty to act impartially, of any gain or advantage to the beneficiary, including any gain or advantage to a third person by the desire or consent of the beneficiary. A gain or advantage may be a pecuniary benefit in the form of money, property, commercial interests or anything else the primary significance of which is economic gain. Expenses associated with social occasions afforded public servants and party officers are not usually considerd a pecuniary benefit within the meaning of this definition


Generally, a person commits the crime of bribery if:


1, He offers, confers or agrees to confer any thing of value upon a public servant with the intent that the public servant's vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion or other action in his official capacity will thereby be corruptly influenced; or

2. While a public servant, he solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any pecuniary benefit upon an agreement or understanding that his vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion or other action as a public servant will thereby be corruptly influenced.

It is not a defense to a prosecution that the person sought to be influenced was not qualified to act in the desired way, whether because he had not yet assumed office or lacked jurisdiction.


<http://definitions.uslegal.com/b/bribery/>

[tridim]

3. This is starting to have a distinct Shawshank feel about it.

Let's hope the climactic scene is equally as satisfying.

[Aramchek]

7. They say Don Blankenship sobbed like a little girl when they took him away...

[Ikonoklast]

13. ...after explosively soiling himself.

I seldom wish hurtful things to happen to people, but I hope Blankenship receives back three times what he has inflicted on others, all in the name of greed.


And the same goes for every board member, past and present, of Massey.

[formercia]

17. The Sisters will love him.

They be droolin' on his pasty white ass.

[EOTE]

24. I'd like to say that Mr. Blankenship fought the good fight and the sisters let him be.

I wish I could tell you that, but prison is no fairie-tail world.

[Ilsa]

22. I loved that line from the movie about that bully guard. nt

[drm604]

4. K&R

A few convictions of the guilty might actually put some fear into people.

[dccrossman]

9. Gotta be a whistleblower

in there somewhere, that's willing to cut a deal.

[Rex]

10. Oh please, please, please be true!

Can they arrest the owner? Send him to a state pen!

[WinkyDink]

38. Better yet, to work in one of his mines.

[malaise]

11. Whistleblowers clearly

trust this administration more than Bushco.

Throw away the keys

[havocmom]

19. Yep, and we need to make sure that Obama's administration is not crucified in media on this crap

Who appointed bosses at agencies for years? bushco. Who confirmed when congressional consent was required? GOP controlled Congress. Who is holding up Obama appointees to replace the last batch? GOP minority playing by strict partisan agenda instead of doing the People's Business and getting people confirmed so changes can be made.

The worker bees at agencies are more likely happier and able to do their jobs better without the crap bush appointees did to damage agencies. We need to make sure the bad apples, usually at the top and cronies of bush appointees are the ones that get the rightful blame. But the pundits and M$M will try to hang this on the DEMs.

We must get proactive and be vigilant. Call ANYBODY on crap when they start looking for scape-goats. And it's gonna happen.

Oh, and can we point this out in regards to the news stories about SEC employees and porn on the job? Has anybody heard about that being ON BUSH'S WATCH? I sure as hell haven't. We need to make a lot of noise about who was in charge of the watchdogs when the foxes killed the poultry.

Other than that, I am a happy girl about investigations! Nail the crooks. And protect whistle blowers!

[malaise]

32. Excellent post

:hi:

[Lyric]

12. You mean WV? Your title says "VA" nt

[Segami]

16. Thanks!

:hi:

[crazylikafox]

14. Oh great. Now it will be "the Gubmit's" fault.

How long before we hear Rush telling us that? An no mention of the fact that Shrub is the one who put the mining industry in charge of the Mine Safety Admin.

[tallahasseedem]

15. Good...

hopefully they'll be locked up.

[spinbaby]

18. About time

That's been rumored for years.

[mod mom]

20. I heard a report on NPR a few weeks ago that said foremen & supervisors could be liable

for criminal action but that slimebag CEO was exempt. Anyone know anything about this?

[Segami]

21. The fish always stinks from the head downwards.

[lpbk2713]

23. All they needed to do was to check if they were registered rethuglicans.

After that the cards would all fall right in place.

[csziggy]

25. When are they going to start investigating the judge Blankenship paid off

With campaign donations?

Massey CEO Don Blankenship Spent Millions to Influence State Elections
Top Exec of Company That Runs Upper Big Branch Coal Mine Threatened Reporter During ABC News Investigation
By MARK SCHONE
Apr. 8, 2010

Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy, has long had a lot of influence in West Virginia. The top executive of the company that owns the mine where 25 miners died this week looms large in state affairs both because of Massey 's economic importance and because of his own penchant for political bluster. But in 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Blankenship might be wielding too much influence, after he spent $3 million of his own money to get a judge elected to a West Virginia court that was ruling on a Massey-related case.
Coal Boss Don Blankenship: If you take photos, "you're liable to get shot."

As detailed in an ABC News investigation, Blankenship vacationed on the Riviera with one West Virginia Supreme Court Justice and underwrote an ad campaign supporting the election of another while a $50 million judgment against Massey Energy was before the court. Blankenship's apparently successful multi-million-dollar attempt to change the composition of the court became the basis of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision -- and the source of a slew of controversial television ads.

More: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/west-virginia-mine-disaster-massey-energy-ceo-don/story?id=10311477

[Dappleganger]

26. Judge plus politicians...

are we ready to open up this hornet's nest?

It could get VERY dirty on both sides.

[Segami]

27. If a few wheel barrels of dirt on BOTH sides are not sufficient to do the job,

then call in the haulage trucks and lets begin the process of cleaning the People's House. Why should we fear purging these self-serving grifters who are clearly working against their employer's best interest for personal gain?

[csziggy]

29. Yes, I don't care what 'side' they are supposed to be on

If they are taking corporate money and doing corporate bidding, they are not working for the people who are supposed to be their bosses.

Democrat, Republican, dirty is dirty.

[Rhiannon12866]

28. K&R! Awful, but not surprising...

x(

[The Magistrate]

30. Indeed, Mem'Sahib

It is certainly well overdue.

[Rhiannon12866]

36. After the awful tragedy four years ago, which received so much publicity,

I thought we had seen the end of this. But the 18th-century conditions have persisted, along with the safety precautions of those years. Didn't the canary warn them that trouble was coming?:grr::hi:

[upi402]

31. They need to jail all involved

if convicted. But not holding my breath.

[senseandsensibility]

34. Kick for the miners

eom

[senseandsensibility]

35. Kick for the miners

eom

[bergie321]

37. Any lawyers in the house?

Can this possibly lead to manslaughter or at least negligent homicide charges being filed? (fingers crossed)

[WinkyDink]

39. I guess the owner didn't think the miners were All His Sons.

[alp227]

40. The gun is smoking real loud now. n/t

[KG]

41. corrupt mine inspectors are a poorly kept secret.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

42. "Massey Energy says it is not aware of the allegations."

This concludes Today's Big Lie.

Thank you for tuning in.

[Hubert Flottz]

47. Believe Baghdad Blankenship at you own peril...

"My coal mines are as safe as sleeping in your own bed!" "There is nothing down there to be afraid of!" "I'm your best friend and I've always got your back!" "If the union guys show up here at my operation I'll eat their guts for breakfast!" "Who's Yo Daddy!" "We don't give a damn about Massey's money at Massey all we care about is being good to West Virginia and everything in it but liberal union commies!" "I pray 24/7 for the safety of each and every miner and that alone should be plenty!"

[defendandprotect]

44. Capitalism is no different from organized crime . . .. let's MoveOn!

[girl gone mad]

45. Corruption in our government??

Impossible!

[pnorman]

48. K & R!

n/t