The Charleston Gazette regularly uses its voice to target with criticism Republican office holders, the Republican Party and state business interests, especially the hardworking men and women of the coal industry.
The newspaper is full of daily articles slamming President Trump for anything and everything. Recent posts to the paper’s Opinion page include: “A fresh indignity each day”; “Instead of building up the United States, President Donald Trump is tearing it apart”; and “Worse 100 days ever”.
The Gazette also recently wrote an extremely negative article about HB 2014 – the microgrid bill and has repeatedly said negative things about two mine safety bills that contain very minor changes to state law.
In my opinion, the Gazette uses pictures, headlines and other baiting props to perpetuate its narrative and routinely calls upon individuals who know less about the topic than they do to comment and be quoted in their articles. For proof, one needs to look no further than a recent “article” regarding two minor changes to state mine safety law.
Senate Bill 942 makes a minor tweak to the diesel law by allowing mining companies to relocate a mining machine from one state mine to another if the machine meets all state and federal laws. Period. That’s all it does. The bill did not change state standards for diesel equipment underground. Not even one. Not that you could tell from the Gazette’s account. Nor could one read in the biased piece the United Mine Workers of America agreed to the text of the bill and wholeheartedly supported the change. Incidentally, SB 942 was passed by the House of Delegates 97-0 and 30-4 by the Senate.
Senate Bill 883 simply transfers the authority to interview, test and recommend prospective state mine inspectors and safety instructors from an administrative board that meets monthly. Under the bill, that testing would be administered by the state Office of Miners’ Health Safety & Training. The actual state agency that would employ these inspectors and instructors. So, the selection and hiring of personnel would rest with the agency itself, just like every other state or federal agency (what a radical concept, according to the Gazette).
Prior to the passage of SB 883, valid questions were raised about the potential conflict and liability of the appointed Board (comprised of industry and labor union representatives) making employment decisions for a totally independent state regulatory agency. Conveniently missing from the “article” published by the Gazette: the UMWA also supported this legislation and it was passed 99-0 by the House of Delegates and 30-0 by the Senate.
Lastly, the Gazette routinely criticizes the director of the state mine safety office based on his previous employment in the mining industry. For the record, Frank Foster is a dedicated, life-long mine safety professional with extraordinary qualifications. Simply stated, he is the most qualified individual to lead that office with superior experience in mine rescue and mine emergency operations and professional safety management experience.
— Chris Hamilton, President & CEO, West Virginia Coal Association
