Oct 062012
 

Willard Romney presents himself as a friend of workers, but true to form he is lying.  His plan is to crush unions and transform America into a ‘right to work’, which really means right to screw workers nation.  Presuming that workers know this, it surprises me to see workers supporting his campaign and showing up for his appearances.  But there’s a catch.

6RomneyMurrayIT IS BOTH a pundit’s truism and a mathematical reality that Mitt Romney’s path to the White House runs through Ohio. And that path, in turn, runs through a firm called Murray Energy…

…In August, Romney used Murray’s Century Mine in the town of Beallsville for a speech attacking Barack Obama as anti-coal. This fall, scenes from that event—several dozen coal-smudged Murray miners standing behind the candidate in a tableau framed by a giant American flag and a COAL COUNTRY STANDS WITH MITT placard—have shown up in a Romney ad.

The ads aired even after Ohio papers reported what I was told by several miners at the event, a bit of news that an internal memo confirms: The crowd was not there of its own accord. Murray had suspended Century’s operations and made clear to workers that they were expected to attend, without pay. “I tell ya, you’ve got a great boss,” Romney said in acknowledging Robert Murray from the stage. “He runs a great operation here.”

The accounts of two sources who have worked in managerial positions at the firm, and a review of letters and memos to Murray employees, suggest that coercion may also explain Murray staffers’ financial support for Romney. Murray, it turns out, has for years pressured salaried employees to give to the Murray Energy political action committee (PAC) and to Republican candidates chosen by the company. Internal documents show that company officials track who is and is not giving. The sources say that those who do not give are at risk of being demoted or missing out on bonuses, claims Murray denies.

The Murray sources, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, came forward separately. But they painted similar pictures of the fund-raising operation. “There’s a lot of coercion,” says one of them. “I just wanted to work, but you feel this constant pressure that, if you don’t contribute, your job’s at stake. You’re compelled to do this whether you want to or not.” Says the second: “They will give you a call if you’re not giving. . . . It’s expected you give Mr. Murray what he asks for.”… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The New Republic>

Photo credit: Think Progress

Ed Schultz discussed this story with Alec MacGillis, author of the above report.

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It’s certainly no surprise that Lord Willard and the Republican Party get workers’ support under duress. Why else would a working person support this vile Plutocrat and his minions?

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  12 Responses to “Lord Willard’s Forced Donors”

  1. If this isn't co-ersion and illegal, it should be.  I know employment counsellors say getting a job depends on who you know.  But this is not what they had in mind!  And certainly keeping a job should not depend on selling your soul to the company like that.
     
    If speech is money as the Citizens United and Republican/Teabaggers maintain, then isn't this in contravention of the first amendment?  The company is preventing, through co-ersion the freedom to spend one's money as one wants to and sees fit, or to put it a different way, the company is telling your money what to say!
     
    Get out the vote!!!!!
     
    Vote Democratic 2012!!!!!     Vote Obama/Biden 2012!!!!!

  2. As if we needed another reason to vote for President Obama against the lying weasel – Mutt Romoney ;   Nothing lower than these hypocrites .

  3. Mr Murray sounded familiar- so I went looking : Found what I looked for– remember this :The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) today announced that it has fined the operator of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Emery County, Utah, $1,340,000 for violations that directly contributed to the deaths of six miners last year. Agapito Associates Inc., a mining engineering consultant, was fined $220,000 for faulty analysis of the mine's design. MSHA cited the mine operator for 11 additional, noncontributory violations issued as the result of the investigation. The proposed penalty for these violations is $296,664, bringing the total proposed penalties against the mine operator to $1,636,664. Crandall Canyon Mine is operated by Genwal Resources Inc., whose parent company is Murray Energy Corp.

    The six miners were killed on Aug. 6, 2007, when roof-supporting coal pillars collapsed in a catastrophic coal outburst that violently ejected coal over a half-mile area in the underground mine tunnels. Ten days later, two mine employees and an MSHA inspector died in another coal outburst that occurred during rescue efforts.

  4. “I tell ya, you’ve got a great boss,” Romney said in acknowledging Robert Murray from the stage. “He runs a great operation here.”

    Of course Willard would say that about Murray since he forces employees to contribute to his Super Pac. What a guy!

  5. Murray, it turns out, has for years pressured salaried employees to give to the Murray Energy political action committee (PAC) and to Republican candidates chosen by the company.

    Coal workers were not even there by choice…

      The crowd was not there of its own accord.

  6. I just thought about something I read recently . . .  Didn't Rmoney just throw a tantrum because Univision wasn't going to let him bus in supporters to an event in Florida that would have seen too many empty chairs?
     
    I guess that's how you make it seem like you've got lots of support when you're desperate!

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