A Gazette editorial from the Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., asked President Obama to nominate Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Ruby to be top federal prosecutor for southern West Virginia. This is an excellent choice.
Ruby was chief prosecutor of corrupt Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, whose disregard for federal mine safety laws helped cause the Upper Big Branch tragedy that killed 29 West Virginia miners. Ruby also led the prosecutions of several other Massey officials who pleaded guilty after the UBB disaster.
Ruby, 37, a Lincoln County native, attended Duke University and Washington and Lee University law school. He joined the federal prosecutor staff in Charleston in 2009. During his brief service, he also convicted an array of Mingo and Lincoln county politicians of political corruption and vote fraud…
