Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Legislature / Politics / Woods How King Coal Reigns Supreme Over Ron Ramsey and Tennessee's Legislature
Posted by Jeff Woods on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 7:28 AM
We've been a little hard on Channel 5 lately--and they deserved it--but Ben Hall knocked this one out of the park last night. Coal companies employ fewer than 400 people in Tennessee, so how come they hold such power in the legislature?
Hall answered that question by ruffling through a bunch of campaign finance reports and adding up the contributions from people with interests in coal. It turns out King Coal plays Ron Ramsey like a slot machine.
That's not exactly a big surprise but, as a bonus, Hall tells how the lieutenant governor worked behind the scenes to try to kill the bill to stop coal companies from blowing the tops off Tennessee's mountains. It's great fun to watch Ramsey bat his eyes innocently and try to make this all sound like it's completely on the up and up.
Comments (15)
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The big shocker to me, which (pardon the blogwhore) I blogged about last night, is that coal employs fewer than 400 people in Tennessee. I mean, I knew it wasn't as big here as in states like West Virginia but cripes -- 400 people? ONE solar plant in Knoxville will employ more Tennesseans than that.
Sorta makes Ramsey's "I'm pro-jobs" rejoinder sound a little lame.
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Ask the question a different way: where do pensions, retirees, etc make their investment income. You don't have to be employed by an industry to profit from it.
Old King Coal was a merry old soul;
a merry old sole was he.
Do not question me or you will arouse my wrath. This perfectly normal up on Capital Hill and perfectly acceptable other than to nosy Special Agents who work for the FBI.
Look at King Pharmaceuticals instead of me. After all, when the RaamPac Money Laudry was operating at full wash with Gregory Family money flowing through, silly reporters fell for the line that Gregory was no longer the CEO of the company since his brother Jefferson had taken over as CEO and it wasn't relevant.
Funny how former CEO John M. Gregory kept showing up in SEC disclosures as Chairman of the Board.
http://people.forbes.com/profile/john-m-gregory/74566
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/King-Pharmaceuticals-Inc-Company-History.html
"According to Forbes, "Late one night in 1987, John Gregory reached for a gun, ready to..."
Business Question of the Day: Who has more control over a company: management or the Chairman of the Board of Directors that hire and fire management?
Looks like Lt. Governor Ramsey has compromised the integrity of the Lt. Governors office with these types of deals. We cannot afford him ever getting close to the Governor office.
Old Coal News you should have already covered. Long before Channel 5 was tipped on to this "sweep"ing new"s", the incomparable Elmer Gantry had documented the Big Coal tie to Ramsey for a year and has even posted at least twice on your blog.
Startling NASA Images: A Dynamited Mountaintop Time Lapse ...
Mar 5, 2010 ... Elmer Gantry says: Our Millionaire Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey ... the United Coal Company World Sales Office within Ramsey's Sullivan ...
blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/.../startling_nasa_images_a_dynami.php - Cached
http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2010/03/startling_nasa_images_a_dynami.php
Coal Companies Help Environment by Blowing Up Mountains, Wamp Says ...
Elmer Gantry says: The TNGA Millionaire Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey is ... d.b.a. United Coal Company) are just recently locating into Ramsey's Sullivan County ...
blogs.nashvillescene.com/.../coal_companies_help_environmen.php?... - Cached
http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2010/02/coal_companies_help_environmen.php?CFID=4569277&CFTOKEN=16026019
John M. Gregory and his brother Joseph (Joe) Gregory of King Pharma fame were(or are) stockholders of United Coal Company.
In 2009, United Coal Company was purchase by the Ukrainian giant industrial firm Metinvest. Also in 2009, the United Coal Company World Sales Office was located in Blountville, approximately one mile from the Millionaire Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey's real estate and auction company.
Try Google Maps and/or Google Earth for each "Ron Ramsey Real Estate and Auction" and "United Coal Company World Sales Office".
Prior to being purchased by Metinvest, the United Coal Company was already exporting half of the UCC extracted Appalachian coal reserves - running contrary to Ramsey's Tennessee gubernatorial campaign stump speech as to how we Tennesseans need to allow mountain top removal and water pollution by coal mining companies in order that families across the Volunteer State will be able to continue to receive electric power at the flip on a switch.
I guess we now know why Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey wanted to do away with the Ethic Commission. Looks like it's time for another Tennessee Waltz and Ramsey is public enemy number 1. What a scam! $30000,000 in his pocket from the coal industry alone. We need to follow his partners in crime like Senator Johnson and find out exactly just what is going on here.
And this guy thinks he should be governor?
This year Tennesseans all across the Volunteer State should really ask TNGA Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey how many times does the word "profit" appear within the U.S. Constitution as opposed to the phrase "general welfare"...
Speaking of being a "pro-jobs" Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, when is the Ramsey campaign going to get around to disclose where Ramsey's daughters are working...?
Ron Ramsey is nothing more than a political whore. He hides behind shades of capitalism while shoving $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
In his pocket.
We need an investigation!
I say bring an investigation of Ramsey. You will all be very disappointed. There is not a more honest man. He has more power as Lt. Governor than Governor so those of you not rooting for him should consider the alternative. As for his daughters...LEAVE THEM ALONE! They work for Ron, at The Chamber Commerce and one is still in college. So they are none of your concern!
Welcome to the filthy world of King Coal. As a West Virginian, we're quite accustomed to seeing our government bought and sold by an industry that talks "jawbs," but delivers poverty, agony, misery and grim death.
I strongly urge citizens interested in protecting your Tennessee portion of the Appalachians to get in touch with SOCM. No organization in Tennessee is doing more to fight the predatory practices of the coal industry in your magnficient state.
Best get crackin', too: I wouldn't put it past Ramsey to try to get TN's law against valley fills repealed. If he does that, then the REAL fun starts. The water at Dollywood will run black with coal filth.
"Jack Snyder says:
I say bring an investigation of Ramsey. You will all be very disappointed. There is not a more honest man. He has more power as Lt. Governor than Governor so those of you not rooting for him should consider the alternative. As for his daughters...LEAVE THEM ALONE! They work for Ron, at The Chamber Commerce and one is still in college. So they are none of your concern!
Posted On: Thursday, Mar. 25 2010 @ 11:55AM"
The "Chamber of Commerce" - is that the Bristol Chamber of Commerce where Rep. Mumpower supposedly helped to land his wife a $60k or so job some years back?
I agree with Jack Snyder... Bring it on. You will not find a more honest and true Tennessean. We are lucky to have him as Lt. Governor and will be even luckier to have his as Governor.
If we are going to hound Ramsey for these Campaign Contributions, let's talk about Haslam's campaign money from his Pilot Oil Company and Mike McWherter's Beer Distribution Company Money. And let's not forget Zach Wamp's drug dealing past. Let's be fair and sling mud at everyone, right?
