The people in Raul Grijalva’s congressional district are used to him threatening with federal intervention any time they dare to interfere with his domain or express any dissent; they fall in line and call it the “Tucson way.” A company in Ohio, not indoctrinated in the “Tucson way” is having none of Grijalva’s intimidation tactics.
Murray Energy Corporation says they have “become aware, through media articles, that Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva, has sent a letter to Mary Kendall, Department of the Interior Inspector General, requesting a report on Murray Energy Corporation,” according to the company.
The letter referred to appears to be part of a witch hunt the progressive Grijalva is conducting against the Obama administration’s opponents. Grijalva, Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus and ranking member of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, sent a letter to Kendall demanding answers about the company’s mining permits, who Grijalva says is “suspected of pressuring employees to make political donations to Mitt Romney and other Republican political candidates.
Grijalva writes, “I am greatly concerned that the public trust is being abused by Murray’s continued operation on public land.” Grijalva requested a report by December 17 on five points:
– Which mines operated by Murray Energy Company or its subsidiaries are permitted, wholly or in part, on federal land?
– What safeguards does the Department of the Interior have to ensure mining operators with federal leases do not pressure employees to make political contributions?
– What consideration, if any, is given to a company’s legal and ethical history when considering a mining permit application?
– What legal or civil recourse is available to taxpayers if it is established that Murray indeed pressured its employees to donate money to Republican candidates that was earned, directly or indirectly, from federally permitted mining operations? Could some or all of this money be recovered?
– What existing rules cover corporate governance and conduct regarding federally permitted mining operations? Are there any pending rules, or is DOI contemplating any regulatory changes, that could strengthen this oversight?
Murray Energy has not yet been contacted by the Department of the Interior regarding the letter, so they are not addressing the specifics of the allegations Grijalva makes about the company, but they say that Grijalva’s “complaint appears to repeat incorrect and dishonest allegations contained in an article published by The New Republic magazine.”
Murray says the complaint is “clearly an attempt by Mr. Grijalva and the Obama Administration to blunt and eliminate criticism of Mr. Obama’s reckless and disastrous War on Coal. It is particularly an attempt by this radical Congressman to silence Murray Energy, and above all, its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Robert E. Murray, from speaking out against Mr. Obama and Senator Sherrod Brown as to how they have been destroying jobs in Ohio, especially coal mining jobs.
It is absolutely essential that we support candidates and policies that preserve and protect Murray Energy’s 3,400 employees, and this Nation’s coal industry, from the Obama Administration’s radical War on Coal and from Congressman Grijalva.”
One member of the Arizona Latino Republican Association said of Grijalva and his tactics, “this is nothing new. Grijalva has a penchant for abusing his political power while feigning concern for the public’s trust. He questions ethics, and displays a poorly acted regard for the well being of the taxpayer. This from an avowed Democratic Socialist of America?”
“The support Grijalva gets from coerced union dues makes this story even more outrageous,” says his Republican opponent in this year’s race, Gabriela Saucedo Mercer. “I have heard from too many small and large business owners who have been hurt by his anti-business policies and tactics. It is tragic when you see what his boycott has done to his own people. Now this.”