Ken Ward From: Sent To: Subject: Don Blankenship on behalf of Don Blankenship Tuesday, December 12, 2017 4:34 PM Ken Ward Don Blankenship Releases First Secret MSHA Email Don Blankenship, former CEO of Massey Energy Company View this email in your browser and candidate for US. Senate, releases the ?rst secret MSHA email related to the Upper Big Branch cover?up. as BIANKENSHIP U. SENATE .. ?rs *3 no a. v~ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mr. Don Blankenship DECEMBER 12, 2017 Don Blankenship Releases First Secret MSHA Email Regarding UBB Cover-Up Williamson, - Don Blankenship, former CEO of Massey Energy Company and candidate for US. Senate, issued the ?rst secret MSHA email related to the Upper Big Branch investigation today. The media, the politicians and in particular Senator Joe Manchin want the television and social media ads that are exposing the Mine Safety and Health Administration?s (MSHA) Upper Big Branch (UBB) cover?up to stop. Some in the media even say the U88 explosion is old news, and they say ?no one cares about that anymore.? But that is wishful thinking on their part. Below is a timeline that will interest anyone who wants to learn the U88 truth. Also attached is one of the many MSHA emails we have mentioned as having in our possession. September 1, 2011: Jack Kuzar, the head of the MSHA Internal Review team resigns. However, MSHA fails to notify the public of his resignation until December, nearly 4 months after his resignation. Later asked about his departure Kuzar said ?people didn?t like what they were being told.? December 4, 2011: (SUNDAY): William Francart sends an email saying ?we had a shredding party at Beckley and the were modified to be unreadable?. December 16, 2011: Minnesota Representative John Kline ms to US. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis saying ?It is highly unusual, if not unprecedented, for the head of an internal review team to depart in the midst of such an important examination. That such a departure occurred 16 months into the review and as the final report was nearing completion is also troubling.? In fact, when Kline wrote his letter the MSHA internal review investigation was then complete and only the report remained to be issued. December 23, 2011: Obama?s US. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs Brian Kennedy informs Congressman Kline that George Fesak has been put in charge of Internal Review investigation and William Francart is named ?technical team leader? of the MSHA Internal Review investigation February 1, 2012: Joe Main, the Head of MSHA, tells a reporter that he and other MSHA officials including Kevin Stricklin, the Chief MSHA Coal Mine Regulator, are reviewing and editing the supposedly independently prepared Internal Review report. The draft Main is reviewing and editing is never released. February 13, 2012: Twelve days after Main says he is editing the report the attached email is sent by George Fesak, head of the investigation. You will note the word ?still? when the email says the ?Internal Review report still made it appear that MSHA was responsible for a defective ventilation plan at The opportunity for the heads of MSHA to cover?up the U88 truth and the fact they did cannot be more obvious. There was no disagreement within MSHA that the ventilation plan was defective. Yet it was not even mentioned as a possible cause of the explosion in the MSHA investigation report. MSHA knew they blew the coal mine up. That is why Kevin Stricklin said before any investigation had even begun ?the operator blew up the mine MSHA didn?t.? He said this because what he did know was that MSHA had required the miners to use the MSHA defective ventilation system despite the miners begging them not to. MSHA knew at the time that the only thing that might have prevented the explosion was the ventilation plan the mine had used for the prior 17 years. The system they used before MSHA made them change it. MSHA knew they blew up the mine and that the operator didn?t. Here is the email Fesak wrote: From: Fesak, George MSHA Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 12:21 PM To: Tumw, Stephen - MSHA Cc: Strassier, Heidi - Dondis, - MSHA Subject: IR report Skew F'Ixs? ,?ou ?olu that The internai Renew, rev-an nude it appear "rat Mimi?s was for :3 defecme venulalron plan at UBB. Wouid have been really good you had told me Ina? since I am the one who can fir- Then you sent Greg Wagner 3 copv of the report 'M?h :he 00} redac?L-ons. Now you oon?aeted Amy shod getting a copy of Ute. reports Examine Summary and deueral and offered to bIlEf net on the ?anrn findings. None of :hese are vrfnin :he more your role as Councii t; the Miernal Review team. Please stop. Seorge Paid for by Don Blankenship for US. Senate Copyright 201? Mr. Don Blankenship, AN rights reserxed. You are receiving this email because you are a member of the West Virginia media. Our mailing address is: is?" Don Blankenship PO Box "757 Williamson, WV 25661 Add us to your address You can update you nre?erencos or ynsubscrire from thisis: This cma? was sent to kward@wvgazette.com 3.9V did 1' act this? unsubscribe ?rom this iist update subso?otion preferences in". Don biankenship . PO Box 175? - .amson= WV 25631 . USA