The Chairman and Chief Executive Office of Murray Energy, Robert E. Murphy became notorious during the presidential campaign by allegedly forcing workers to go to a Romney rally. Now, Murray has responded to President Obama’s re-election with a prayer and dozens of layoffs.
The Ohio CEO declared that the reelection would continue a “war on coal” and announced a time for prayer and firings — proclaiming “Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build.” It appears that he “did not build that” alone, to use an Obama phrase.
Murray then broke away from a request for the grace of God to laid off 54 people at American Coal, one of his subsidiary companies, and 102 at Utah American Energy.
You may recall Murray from the August 2007 mine collapse where six miners were trapped at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah.
Later, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) hit the mine with its highest penalty for coal mine safety violations, $1.85 million. Murray would ultimately lobby heavily against new procedures needed to avoid such deaths in the future.
The employees this week were able to walk out of Murray’s company — a certain improvement. However, before being kicked out, the employees were given Murray’s prayer as solace on their way out the door:
Dear Lord:
The American people have made their choice. They have decided that America must change its course, away from the principals of our Founders. And, away from the idea of individual freedom and individual responsibility. Away from capitalism, economic responsibility, and personal acceptance.
We are a Country in favor of redistribution, national weakness and reduced standard of living and lower and lower levels of personal freedom.
My regret, Lord, is that our young people, including those in my own family, never will know what America was like or might have been. They will pay the price in their reduced standard of living and, most especially, reduced freedom.
The takers outvoted the producers. In response to this, I have turned to my Bible and in II Peter, Chapter 1, verses 4-9 it says, “To faith we are to add goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self control; to self control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, kindness; to brotherly kindness, love.”
Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build. We ask for your guidance in this drastic time with the drastic decisions that will be made to have any hope of our survival as an American business enterprise.
Amen.
Of course, he could not fire the “young people” in his “own family.” This is a familiar lament among some Romney supporters, including one at a Romney fundraiser at the Hamptons who stated:
“I don’t think the common person is getting it. Nobody understands why Obama is hurting them.
“We’ve got the message,” she added. “But my college kid, the baby sitters, the nails ladies — everybody who’s got the right to vote — they don’t understand what’s going on. I just think if you’re lower income — one, you’re not as educated, two, they don’t understand how it works, they don’t understand how the systems work, they don’t understand the impact.”
He is also not alone in threatening or actually firing people if Obama won. Indeed, a Utah CEO fired over 100 people and blamed it on Obama’s reelection. However, Murray does this all with a bit more religious fervor.
Source: Washington Post
Looks to me like the FBI investigation got to Broadwell. In looking at her they found the emails from Patreaus. They told Patreaus and he decided to get out in front of the scandal by announcing it himself. A couple more news cycles and it’s forgotten.
At least this FBI investigation lead to something, unlike the Arizona AG not reporting a fender bender. Patreus did a dumb thing, as we all do. But, people who cavalierly call someone “dumb” “stupid” for merely doing something dumb or stupid need to watch Forrest Gump again.
Yes Murry or Murphy or whatever your name is, put those guys and gals on the unemployment roster. We dont need your coal.
“The FBI had been investigating an unrelated and much broader case before stumbling on the affair.”
Gene H
That doesn’t indicate or even suggest the FBI investigation was of the CIA or anyone inside the CIA. It says the FBI was looking into an unrelated matter. An example: While Ken Starr was investigating Bill Clinton regarding “an unrelated and much broader case” (Clinton’s potential involvement in the Whitewater development), he stumbled onto the Lewinsky matter. I’m not saying your concern is baseless, but there are other viable explanations.
If this was France it would not be news. The French response would be:: a) nice set of boobs. Lucky guy. b) Ok I will read the book. c) Keep him happy while in office. d) Did they meet in Paris?
In watching the tv commenters last night I was struck by the mean comments by the females barking at him. Neither of the two bedmates were under age and there was no evidence that one or the other paid the other for the sex. So, no crime on our dime. Let the poor schmuck be. If he and wifeypoo break up then its none of our business. Be fair and balanced here and treat the fox like a lady.
I wonder how the axe of fate fell on these employees. I wouldn’t be surprised if this CEO just took this as an opportunity to fire those he didn’t like. I can’t help but be cynical about these CEOs. I get the sense that some are firing to communicate the wisdom of their prophecy (didn’t I tell you that Obama brings misery?) or to instill fear (do what I say or else the axe is coming for you) or both. It would be interesting to see whether there will be new hires in the near future to replace those fired. I heard a great interview on C-SPAN last night. David Cay Johnston talked about his book, The Fine Print, in which he explains how energy, Telecom, and other companies game the system so well. I’m about to buy the e-book. Sounds fascinating.
Blouise, If HenMan can’t partner with you maybe Newt Gingrich and Ken Starr can, If you leash them you won’t even need the dogs. (Or cats)
I wonder if there are sex-sniffing dogs? Obviously the underneath sides of all those desks at the NGA campus need to be checked.
I’m going to call HenMan. See if he wants to partner up in a new business venture … we can use the bobcats and disguise them as dogs.
from wikipedia
The NGA campus, at 2.3 million square feet (214,000 m²), is the third-largest government building in the Washington Metropolitan Area, and its atrium is spacious enough to hold the Statue of Liberty.[3][4] Its budget is classified.
can’t cut their budget if you don’t know what it is.
i guess not to many coal miners buy timeshare condos.
http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2012/11/8/developer_reassures_.html
Gene, yes it did. A lot of stuff at the highest levels of power strike me as odd and disturbing, I assumed it was another path to consolidate power among other things. The military and CIA (actually, broaden that to the entire intelligence community) have the same kind of organization culture: insular, loyalty to and within the chain of command, bigoted and antithetical to a meritocracy (in my experience), order followers, free from legal challenges and oversight for all practical purposes. You are right by implication though, in retrospect it’s way more disturbing than I ascribed to it. Personal experience lulled me into complacency in that regard.
Most senior managers in the Intelligence community are (or were) ex military, at least on the ops side. A lot of civilians worked for Agencies (now rolled into the Intelligence community) that had as Directors Military people but the rest of the chain of command was primarily civilian. DOD Agencies all had that model. DOD and Intelligence have been merging since the late 90’s, look up “National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency” in Wikipedia. That was the beginning of a bad trend.
“Okay. Now that has really piqued my curiosity. What has the Feds digging at CIA? Couldn’t possible be a turf war over domestic surveillance? Inquiring minds want to know . . . especially if the CIA is out of control again.” (Gene)
this just gets better and better … the FBI is leaking little bits and pieces
Obama has a real mess on his hands
Further ruminations on that military term, “surge.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/petraeus-on-how-to-surge_b_2105028.html
“The FBI had been investigating an unrelated and much broader case before stumbling on the affair.”
Okay. Now that has really piqued my curiosity. What has the Feds digging at CIA? Couldn’t possible be a turf war over domestic surveillance? Inquiring minds want to know . . . especially if the CIA is out of control again.
The FBI Has Been Investigating Petraeus’ Biographer (And Reported Mistress) Over Access To Classified Info
Kim Bhasin
Nov. 9, 2012
http://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-david-petraeus-paula-broadwell-2012-11
Excerpt:
Now, NBC is reporting that the FBI has been investigating Broadwell, fearing that she had access to some confidential information.
From NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel on MSNBC:
Also we have learned from law enforcement sources — law enforcement officials — that the FBI is now investigating, and this is an ongoing investigation, into Paula Broadwell.
… The FBI investigation is seeing whether she had improper access to General Petraeus’ emails and may have had access to his … may have accidentally or deliberately had access to classified information. And so we know this investigation is taking place, and that it has identified Paula Broadwell.
The investigation began last spring, reports Ronald Kessler at conservative magazine Newsmax.
Kessler’s report claims that the FBI intercepted Petraeus’ emails with Broadwell, and they had included sexually explicit references, like “sex under a desk.” The pair reportedly broke up some point after Petraeus become CIA Director, but he continued sending thousands of emails to her over the past few months.
Fox News also has some information about the investigation. It’s reporting that the FBI was originally investigating an unrelated case and happened to stumble upon Petraeus’ affair:
The FBI had been investigating an unrelated and much broader case before stumbling on the affair. Fox News has learned that during the course of this investigation, the name of journalist and Petraeus biographer Paula Broadwell came up. The FBI followed that lead and in doing so, uncovered his affair with her. The FBI for some time was concerned that perhaps Petraeus was some sort of victim, but there has been no evidence discovered to back up such concerns.
Oh yeah, Blouise. Without a doubt there are some of the higher level G-men whooping it up tonight. As we’ve discussed extensively both online and off it is no secret those two groups really do hate one another. Politically this is a Grade B+/A- disaster.
Gene,
Yep … but he was vetted by the CIA. Honest to God Gene, the FBI is going to live off of this for years!!!
But speaking of CEO’s acting badly . . . .
Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter Says Company Will Reduce Workers’ Hours In Response To Obamacare
Blouise,
Yep. It is staggeringly dumb to be in that position and give your enemies – both foreign and domestic – instant leverage against you. But let’s face it, Petareus isn’t a great general/tactician/strategist and more of a politician and he always has been. Dumb is kinda par for the course with pols.
Swarthmore mom
Petraeus was being secretly investigated by the FBI for a compromised PC, and they found his affair.
————————————————————
Holy crap!!! The FBI uncovered the affair?! Do you have any idea what that means in D.C.? For the FBI to catch the Director of the CIA in a clandestine affair is bigger than big!
Petraeus is a complete idiot … he just handed his Agency and his President a huge black eye. HUGE!