Study Shows Coal Industry Generates Billions in Economic Activity for West Virginia

From the great folks at Friends of Coal:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. ─ A new study on the economic impact of West Virginia’s coal industry shows that even when facing the worst regulatory pressures in history, the mining and coal-fired power generation industries still generated nearly $14 billion in economic activity for the Mountain State.

“Coal and coal-fired electric power always has been a major driver behind West Virginia’s economy, and this study clearly demonstrates that not only is coal the bedrock of our economy, it’s a key component of our future,” said West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton. “Even following years of decline, the mining and coal-fired power generation industries remain one of the largest economic generators in the state.”

The study, commissioned by the West Virginia Coal Association and conducted by the West Virginia University Bureau for Business and Economic Research (BBER), shows that the mining industry alone spends more than $2.1 billion on wages and coal operators generated approximately $9.1 billion in economic activity in 2019, far more than the entire general revenue budget of state government.

What’s more, the combined economic impact of coal mining and coal-fired electric power generation was approximately $13.9 billion, meaning the industries supported 17 percent of the state’s total economic output or one out of every six dollars generated.

Dr. John Deskins, BBER director, said the total economic impact of coal mining does not end at the mine – it goes far beyond the portal and upstream through the business economy.

“Despite production declines in recent years, coal remains a very important part of West Virginia’s economy, as illustrated in our research,” Deskins said. “Coal continues to support a sizeable share of the state’s economic output and thousands of high-paying jobs.”

Hamilton noted that West Virginia’s eight coal-fired electric manufacturing facilities are among the most modern and efficient electric generators found anywhere in the world. ”Not only are these facilities responsible for a big piece of our economy, they continue to provide low cost, uninterrupted power to millions of consumers in West Virginians and our surrounding states. Given the results of this study and the contribution of these plants to grid security and resiliency, and homeland security, it’s inconceivable that extreme environmental groups and other organizations, similar to the Biden Administration, want to see these facilities close prematurely or transition away from the coal. “

The coal industry acknowledges the build out of renewable energy forms as well as West Virginia’s vast reserves of shale gas but asserts that we should not be trading one energy job for another or unnecessarily shortening the life of these foundational contributors to our economy and industrial job base.

Highlights from the report include:

  • Coal mining and coal-fired electric power generated approximately $13.9 billion in total economic activity in the state of West Virginia. For context, total economic output for the state (GDP) was around $77 billion.
  • Coal mining and coal-fired electric power generation supported nearly 33,000 jobs in West Virginia.
  • Coal mining and coal-fired electric power generation provided around $2.8 billion in employee compensation.
  • Coal mining posts the highest average annual wages among all other industries in West Virginia.
  • Coal mining and coal-fired electric power generated nearly $611 million in select state and local tax revenue for West Virginia and its local governments.
  • West Virginia coal exports consistently make up a large share of U.S. coal exports – nearly one-third of the nation’s total economic export value.

For information or to request a copy of the full report, please contact Chris Hamilton at the West Virginia Coal Association, (304) 342-4153.

The Ohio Capital Journal Exposed – The No Shame, Blatant, Hypocrisy of the Left

Those of us in and around the political process are used to the utter lack of shame and hypocrisy of the political left.  But sometimes the hypocrisy is simply so ridiculous that it requires us to speak out a little.

Take the Ohio Capital Journal.  Just last week, they ran a blistering headline and story entitled Lack of Sunshine in Political Money Fuels Corruption.  Here’s Proof.

Their story is obviously about the HB 6 indictments and its fallout along with similar investigations in other states.  In each of their examples, some right-wing GOP politician has gotten themselves in trouble because of their involvement with some group that is engaged, usually legally, in the political process.  Interestingly enough, they fail to report that former Illinois House Speaker and Democrat Party Chairman Michael Madigan was ousted from office after a much more serious bribery investigation that included the indictment of the former CEO of utility giant Commonwealth Edison.

So, where is the hypocrisy you ask?  Let me explain.

According to Open Secrets, which they cite, “Dark Money” refers to spending meant to influence political outcomes where the source of the money is not disclosed.”

Sound familiar?  Let me explain further.

The Ohio Capital Journal is not an incorporated nonprofit entity in Ohio.  It does not file tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, nor does it list its donors publicly.

Instead, it is the Ohio affiliate of a 501(c)3 charitable organization now called the States Newsroom.  And according to the States Newsroom, they are nonpartisan, nonprofit, and independent.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

As the Capital Research Center has reported, this group is simply “an activist network of left-wing websites based in Washington, DC that feeds Americans propaganda pretending to be news.”

And where does their funding come from?  It is hard to tell.  But there is lots of it.  In fact, the group raised nearly $7 million in their first year of “independent operation” according to their IRS 990.

We do know that the group was originally founded and funded by the Hopewell Fund.  Hopewell is part of a massive, left wing dark money network that dwarfs whatever is spent by conservative organizations according to a groundbreaking report from the Capital Research Center.

States Newsroom proports to list all their donors that have given over $500 and promises that they will not take donations from foreign governments or corporations.  However, their donation information page is highly misleading.

For example, they fail to report that they received $250,000 in 2019 funneled through the Hopewell Fund, a fact that can only be determined by either visiting the Influence Watch page or scrolling through Hopewell’s 81 page tax return.  Of course, the Hopewell Fund does not disclose all its donors either.  They also disclose an “Undisclosed Virginia Foundation” as a donor but refuse to identify it or say anything about it.

They also fail to explain how their policy against taking corporation donations permitted them to take one or more donations from Google LLC, one of the world’s largest corporations.

States Newsroom spent nearly $1 million of this dark money on just three prominent left wing consulting groups. According to their IRS form 990, $500,000 was spent on advertising & audience development to Precisions Strategies LLC. According to their website, Precision Strategies LLC was formed by Stephanie Cutter, the Deputy Campaign Manager for the Obama Biden 2012 campaign and Teddy Goff, the digital director for the 2012 Obama Biden campaign.

States Newsroom spent $285,000 with ActionSprout Inc., a company that helps left wing nonprofits manage their Facebook activity.  Not surprisingly, their first CEO, Andrew Bernard, is now a parttime advisor to the Facebook Social Impact Team.

States Newsroom also spent $162,500 on finance, HR & Operations with the DC based Capitol Operations.  According to their website, Capitol Operations was founded by Hailey Arends, the Budget Director on Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.

And what about the nonpartisan status of their staff?

Let’s start with their Ohio Editor David C. Dewitt.  On his bio page, he fails to list the fact that his job immediately before being hired as Editor was as the Deputy Director for Communications for the Ohio Democrat Party.

And on June 2, 2020 he posted a Black Lives Matter logo around his then profile photo on his personal Facebook profile.

On his Twitter follows, I couldn’t find more than a handful of center right elected officials that he follows.  He does, however, follow Rick Wilson and the disgraced Lincoln Project along with every left of center group, politician, or fake journalist to be found.

Susan Tebben is a writer and a former journalist that worked primarily in the Athens, Ohio area.  Not surprisingly, public records indicate that she has only voted in Democrat primaries.  On Twitter she primarily follows left of center candidates, journalists, causes, and elected officials.  On Facebook she has posted video and pics of a Black Lives Matter protest that she attended in downtown Columbus, Ohio.

Tyler Buchanan is a statehouse reporter and former journalist that worked primarily in the Athens, Ohio area.  Like Susan, he has only voted in Democrat primaries.  Unlike his colleagues, he follows a vast number of figures on Twitter from across the political spectrum.  Meanwhile, his Facebook page is relatively closed, although it does reveal that his spouse is a Bernie Sanders supporter.

Martin Schladen, who sometimes goes by Marty Schladen, is also a longtime former reporter who apparently has spent most of his career either attacking Republicans or utility companies. Unlike his colleagues, however, he doesn’t appear to ever vote in primaries.

Nonetheless, his political views can be easily determined by his Facebook likes on his relatively open personal page.  Those likes include Democrat State Representative David Leland, Former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, the ACLU, and the Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition.  On Twitter, he follows a handful of center right elected officials, but most of his follows are for left wing officials, journalists, causes, and organizations.

Then there’s Jake Zuckerman.  We were unable to find any public records that clearly indicated Jake’s voter registration information.  We suspect that Jake isn’t his actual name.

At the same time, it’s not too difficult to determine where he stands on most issues.  In fact, old Jake got so under the skin of West Virginia’s GOP Governor Jim Justice, that Justice called him out by name in a recent news conference.  The problem is that Jake hasn’t even covered West Virginia for nearly 18 months.

So why is this all important?  Let me explain.

The Ohio Capital Journal has long advocated that nonprofit groups that engage in any form of politics be required to fully disclose all of their donors.  In fact, in their recent article on dark money they discuss how HR 1 may help put a stop to this dark money corruption.  What they don’t tell you is that passage of HR 1 would actually lead to the criminalization of most kinds of speech, including much of their own speech on the Ohio Capital Journal.

The difference between leftists like the Ohio Capital Journal and States Newsroom and similar conservative leaning outlets, which includes this site, is that conservatives don’t want to put their political opponents in jail for exercising their freedom of speech.

Those of us on the right believe that the answer to left wing outlets like States Newsroom is more speech, not less.  And its sad that the leftists over at States Newsroom and their affiliates cannot say the same.

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Unlike the leftists at the Ohio Capital Journal, this site isn’t funded by DC dark money.  If you would like to see this type of research and content continue, then please consider making a donation online here via PayPal

National Conservative Media is Catching on to RINO Mike DeWine

It looks like the conservative national media is finally catching on to the antics of RINO Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.  Take this excellent write up on the passage of SB22 by Daniel Horowitz of The Blaze:

In Ohio, we have the first legislature in the country to finally pass a meaningful limitation on emergency health powers through both chambers, with margins likely large enough to override a gubernatorial veto. Gov. Mike DeWine is irate that legislators think they have the power to check him in his capricious edicts governing the most intimate facets of human life and commerce. Yet despite his promise to veto the bill, every legislator in his own party will likely override his veto.

 

Columbus Dispatch Senior Editor Accuses Josh Mandel of “Threatening Armed Insurrection”

Since the Wolfe Family sold off the Columbus Dispatch, what’s left of their once vaunted Statehouse news team has rapidly gone down hill.  Take Dispatch Senior Editor Darrel Rowland for example.

Just a few hours ago, old Darrel accused conservative U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel on Twitter of “seemingly coming close to threatening armed insurrection…”

As the old saying goes, close only counts when playing horseshoes and hand grenades; and sorry, not sorry Darrel, this isn’t it.  Meanwhile, the sewage cesspool that is Darrel’s comment section is full of more nonsense and cries to censor and de-platform conservatives like Josh Mandel.

Keep fighting Josh!

And don’t forget folks, the Ohio Statehouse News isn’t funded by big New York based hedge funds like the Columbus Dispatch.  So if you can, throw a couple dollars our way by donating online here.

 

Look Ahead America Helps Secure Another Victory Against “Black Box” Voting Equipment in Stark County, Ohio

Washington DC— Yesterday, the Stark County Commissioners voted to reject proceeding with the purchase of black box voting equipment. This follows Look Ahead America’s public call to action against proceeding with this purchase on February 3.

LAA Executive Director Matt Braynard issued the following statement:

I am grateful to the elected officials of Stark County for heeding the calls to press the ‘pause’ button on proceeding with this purchase, and am even more grateful to the many citizens of Stark County for making their voices heard.

The next step for Stark County is the need for public hearings on the dangers of black box voting equipment and the benefits of open-source alternatives for restoring faith in election integrity, lowering costs, and growing local jobs.

This is the second recent major victory for Look Ahead America’s effort to eliminate black box voting equipment following the state of Louisiana’s withdrawal of a $100 million contract for black box equipment last week.

Stark County Board of Elections can be reached as follows: Bill Smith at 330.451.7359 or [email protected]; Janet Weir Creighton at 330.451.7376 or [email protected]; Richard Regula at 330.451.7370 or [email protected].

Find LAA’s original statement on Stark County’s proposed purchase here: https://lookaheadamerica.org/stark/.

WHAT IS “BLACK BOX” VOTING EQUIPMENT? Black box voting equipment runs on software and hardware design that is a corporate secret. The source code of the software is generally unavailable for public and government official inspection. Black box voting equipment also locks a client into using only the original manufacturer for service of that equipment.

WHAT IS OPEN SOURCE? Open source is software or hardware with source code or a design that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. Learn more about open source here: https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-source.

MATT BRAYNARD is the former Director of Data and Strategy for the Trump campaign. He drafted and executed the strategy of targeting low-propensity voters who had a high affinity for President Trump. He is the president of Braynard Group, a political and digital strategy firm. He has worked for over one hundred federal, state and municipal candidates, and many national advocacy organizations and non-profits. He previously worked on messaging and survey research for Frank Luntz, was a senior redistricting and election administration analyst at Election Data Services, and served for three election cycles in the Republican National Committee’s Political Analysis department. Prior to joining the RNC in 1996, Matt was a field coordinator for Buchanan for President.

 

 

Why is the Ohio Capital Journal Lying About State Representative Diane Grendell?

State Representative Diane Grendell

Why is the liberal, dark money funded fake news Ohio Capital Journal lying about State Representative Diane Grendell?  And why is no one but this little newsletter standing up for her?

Where is Speaker Cupp?  Where is the House Republican Campaign Committee or the Ohio GOP?  Where are the full time, highly paid House Republican communications staffers?

Crickets.

Here’s what failed journalist turned left wing hack Jake Zuckerman falsely stated today:

Grendell sponsored the “Truth in COVID Statistics” bill last legislative session, which passed the House but died in the Senate. When presenting the bill to the Senate, Grendell made a number of conspiratorial claims including that Ohio’s coronavirus data “has been corrupted” and that “they” are paying college students $20 to get tested.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2021/03/11/ohio-lawmaker-to-retiring-anti-vaccine-leader-you-are-wonderful-dont-leave/

With just two minutes of research, anyone could quickly determine that old Jake was full of it.  In fact, here’s what the official incentives page from THE Ohio State University says:

Students who schedule and complete their weekly, required COVID-19 test will be eligible for a variety of incentives. Incentives include:

  • Gift cards to GrubHub, Amazon, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and more
  • Tech products like AirPods, Apple Watches, MacBooks, Wireless Speakers and more
  • Special tours and campus opportunities like lunches and meetings with senior leaders
  • Preferred and priority opportunities like priority course scheduling and OUAB event tickets 

https://safeandhealthy.osu.edu/information/faculty-and-staff/testing/student-testing-program/covid-19-testing-incentives

And don’t get me started on the problems with the data on COVID19.  There are books being written now about all of the errors.

If you would like us to continue producing this kind of research and content, then please consider making a donation by clicking here!

3 U.S. House Republicans from Ohio Vote with Democrats to Proceed on the $1.9 Trillion Blue State Bailout

Conservative Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has been utilizing procedural votes to help gum up the stampede of Congressional Democrats towards socialism.  And you would think that Republicans would help those efforts.  Unfortunately not these liberal Ohio Republican members of Congress.  In a recent vote, Ohio Republicans Bob Gibbs, Dave Joyce, and Anthony Gonzalez joined with Democrats in voting to proceed on the $1.9 trillion Blue State Bailout.  Here’s a pic of the 40 total GOP turncoats:

An Important Update about Ohio Statehouse News

Friends,

I wanted to write and provide you with a much overdue update on Ohio Statehouse News. As you may recall, this web based, Ohio conservative news outlet was started just over one year ago. At the time we had a funder who had provided the site with the financial resources to pay a full time Editor, along with a part time Publisher and Contributing Editor.

Unfortunately, that financial support ended in August of last year. As a result our full time Editor, Cheryl Stephen, has departed the site and returned to her work on her farm and with animal welfare issues. Cheryl did an incredible job and she will be greatly missed!

Since then, my company and I have acquired this site and we have been working diligently to keep it alive. You will begin to notice that we have begun taking some text based advertising and will eventually be entering into affiliate relationships with some conservative advertisers. Finally, we will be making a renewed push to ask you for some financial support. You can easily make either a one time or a monthly recurring donation by clicking on this Paypal link.

As you may remember, this is the third conservative Ohio based news site that I have been associated with. I wrote for the now defunct 3rd Rail Politics site, The Ohio Star, which is still in existence, and now this site.

To keep this site alive, I need your help. Please feel free to email me with your story ideas, your news tips, your news releases, and/or your guest columns. Your guest columns may be signed or unsigned.

As we mentioned earlier we could also use your financial support. I have no intention to take a salary from this site but I would like to hire some contract writers in the future, along with helping cover the costs of hosting, mailchimp, advertising, etc.

I thank you for continuing to read and comment on the site. I hope to start producing some fresh articles shortly and hope you will continue to read us. Thank you.

Scott Pullins