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« Rock, Chalk, Anger Talk -- Does Winning Justify Abuse Like This? | Main | Monday Morning Rant -- Louisville Sports Radio »
Wednesday
18Nov2009

Once Again, Coal Wins

Why are we even surprised any more?

The former head of the state mine-permitting agency said Tuesday he was fired after refusing to go along with an illegal policy that primarily benefited a politically powerful coal company, Alliance Resource Partners.

Ron Mills, a veteran state regulator, was fired without explanation last Friday by the Beshear administration as director of the Division of Mine Permits. (Courier-Journal, 2009/11/17)

A quick search of the KREF database shows numerous Alliance contributions to the Beshear campaign. A number of them are maxed out. And Mills states he was told by the official that fired him that the governor's office was involved in the decision.

How bad is the policy that Mills refused to follow?

On Monday the Kentucky Resources Council informed the state Energy and Environment Cabinet that it intends to file suit to strike the policy.

“It's blatantly illegal,” said Tom FitzGerald, the council's director.

So, once again, Big Coal gets its way in Frankfort. Once again, a coal company says "Jump!" and the Beshear administration says "How high, Master?" on the way up. Once again, political money, especially coal money, trumps everything else, and a good man is kicked out of state government. Once again, coal wins. And Kentucky loses.




DateWednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:16PM | Comment1 Comment | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
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Reader Comments (1)

I do not expect for beshear to ask for my vote again. He will never get it. He is not a democrat. He is an embarrassment to my state.

Nov 19, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJim

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