Massey hires rightwing Texas p.r. firm for post-mine disaster image makeover

The board of Massey Energy Co. – under fire from regulators and shareholders following a deadly accident at one its mines – is getting advice from a politically connected public-relations firm.

Public Strategies, an Austin, Texas-based firm owned by advertising giant WPP, has been brought in by the mining company’s board in recent days to advise it on how to respond to questions about the company’s governance and the board’s general oversight of the company, people familiar with the matter said. An explosion at the company’s Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia killed 29 miners earlier this month.

Public Strategies’ principals include Dan Bartlett, a former White House counselor to then-President George W. Bush; Mark McKinnon, a media consultant who worked on Mr. Bush’s presidential campaigns on debates; and Jeff Eller, a former White House aide to then-President Bill Clinton.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/04/21/massey-hires-politically-connected-pr-firm/

They have money for this, but they can't spare a dime to let miners off for their fellow workers' funerals.

And knew people who worked for Public Strategies. It's a pretty bipartisan spin shop -- I know they did work for Ron Kirk and Ann Richards, back in the day.

Then imagine how much it would have cost Blankenship to cover the cost of his employees attending their co-worker's funerals.

I'm sure the latter number is much less. Absolutely sickening.

I hope this softening of Blankenship's corporate image just blows up all over his greedy fucking face.

What a piece of shit.

He's the PR firm for BFEE and its fascist agenda, plain and simple.