Blankenship Senate candidacy

Former Massey Energy Company Chair and CEO Don Blankenship has filed his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia, but he must run from Nevada. The former coal exec, who retired with a $27.2 million golden parachute, was indicted for conspiracy to violate federal mine safety and health standards over an incident in which 30 workers died. He was convicted on a minor charge and served a year in prison. Blankenship is currently prohibited from leaving Nevada.

The Charleston Gazette Mail reports, “Since his indictment, Nov. 14, 2014, Blankenship and his criminal justice lawyers repeatedly said he had moved to Las Vegas … and that the Nevada city was his home. … More recently, Blankenship sought and received court approval to have his supervised release transferred to federal officials in Las Vegas because that is where he lives.”