July 23, 2019: The "War on Coal" Continues to Baffle General Trump

 

7/23/19: Trump suffers fresh defeat in the “War on Coal” when Blackjewel, the mining affiliate of Revelation Industry, and Revelation Industry, file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As for the miners, they learn the news the hard way, when final paychecks bounce. 

Suddenly, 1,700 men and women across several states find themselves blocked from pulling money from 401(k) programs, wondering if they’ll be repaid for the bounced checks, and unsure if they have health insurance. The reaction of Mark Turner, a Kentucky miner is typical. “It’s been very hard,” he tells reporters, “not knowing if you’re going to be able to put food on the table for your three kids.” He’s not sure he’ll be able to meet his next house payment, keep the electricity on, or buy new clothes and supplies for his children when the school year begins.

Blackjewel screwed their miners.

 

The more you delve into this story the more malodorous it becomes. Blackjewel withheld $1.2 million from payroll earmarked for miner’s 401(k)’s. The company failed to deposit an additional $900,000 in matching funds. The company withheld $8.3 million in social security contributions and taxes, but neglected to hand it over to local, state, and federal governments. Blackjewel fell in arrears to the tune of $63 million in royalties owed for mining on federal lands. 

Meanwhile, CEO Jeff Hoops was doing well enough, as late as March, to sink $30 million into a resort project in West Virginia. The “Grand Patrician Resort,” he said, would include an upscale hotel, a chapel for destination weddings, a nine-hole golf course – replicating famous par three holes round the world – and a 3,500-seat coliseum modeled on the Colosseum in Rome. 

In a recent court hearing, it was also revealed that Hoops transferred a total of $79 million between Blackjewel and his private bank accounts, and then sometimes back again the same day. He may have kept $34 million for himself.

 

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A FEDERAL JURY HAS CONVICTED Bijan Rafiekian, former business partner of General Michael T. Flynn, and a Trump transition advisor, on two felony charges related to work the two performed for Turkish interests during the final months of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. 

At issue was a $600,000 lobbying and public relations contract and Rafiekian’s failure to register as a foreign agent. 

The two-time felon now faces up to 15 years in jail, although he is likely to serve far less time.

 

BLOGGER’S NOTE (4/25/21): We know that Flynn later insisted his guilty plea wasn’t legit; and Trump later pardoned his ass. In the case of Mr. Rafiekian, the judge threw out the jury verdict, a highly unusual move. In March 2021 the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a unanimous ruling, reinstated his conviction.

May 14, 2021: Finally! Some Voter Fraud!

 

5/14/21: Well, finally! We have a likely case of voter fraud and Colorado authorities have their man, Brian Morphew, in custody. 

No doubt, some scumbag liberal…. 

Check that. Morphew is charged with murdering his wife and using his wife’s mail-in ballot to cast an extra vote for Trump. 

As CNN reported (relying on court records – so, not “Fake News”), when F.B.I. agents showed up to interview the suspect, he admitted he cast the extra ballot and explained his thinking. “Just because I wanted Trump to win. I just though, give him another vote. I figured all these other guys are cheating” and “I know she (his missing wife) was going to vote for Trump anyway.” 

Only: She’s dead.

Suzanne Morphew disappeared on Mother's Day.

 

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“Cuz we followed this guys lead and never questioned it.” 

MORPHEW isn’t the only Trump fan likely to spend a long time in prison. For instance, we have John Lambert facing serious prison time (see 5/11/21, above). Rep. Matt Gaetz is also facing a serious investigation. Now throw in Ethan Nordean, a leader of the Proud Boys and avid participant in the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill. In happier times, Nordean was ready to fight to the finish for his Orange Idol, and maybe kill a few liberals in Congress for pleasure. Now, he’s engaging in profane tirades aimed at his old hero, Rejected-President Donald. 

It’s bad enough that many members of Team Trump refuse to admit that the riot on Capitol Hill was led by…other members of Team Trump. So it is. As noted by USA Today, 

Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean lashed out at President Donald Trump, accusing him of misleading his supporters and then deserting them despite their unwavering loyalty.

 

“We are now and always have been on our own. So glad he was able to pardon a bunch of degenerates as his last move and s--- on us on the way out,” Nordean said in an expletive-laden message about the former president. “F--- you trump you left us on [t]he battle field bloody and alone.”

 

Nordean actually began questioning the Orange Idol soon after taking part in the assault on democracy. 

According to court documents, on January 20, in a message to other Proud Boys, he grumbled, 

I’ve followed this guy [Trump] for 4 years and given everything and lost it all. Yes he woke us up, but he led us to believe some great justice was upon us...and it never happened. Now I’ve got some of my good friends and myself facing jail time cuz we followed this guys lead and never questioned it.

 

Guess he should have questioned it.

 

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ANOTHER FUN STORY involves a recently revealed plan by unknown individuals inside the Trump administration to spy on President Trump’s second national security advisor, Gen. H. R. McMaster. 

And let’s not forget that his first NSA leader, General Michael T. Flynn, was indicted for perjury and had to be handed a blanket pardon for “any and all possible offenses,” by President Trump. 

Had it turned out Flynn had murdered a babysitter – or solicited children for sex – he would have been pardoned for that, too. 

Next, we should remember that John Bolton, Trump’s third national security advisor, wrote an entire book, The Room Where It Happened, about what a ignoramus the president was, and how Trump undermined U.S. security interests in Ukraine for his own personal benefit. 

In any case, the best part of this new story comes, when a young woman with a hidden camera, using a fake name, visits a restaurant where McMaster is known to dine. The plan is to catch him making intemperate remarks about the boss. 

Why? 

Trump allies believe that in pervious conversations, McMaster has told companions that Trump is an “idiot” with a grasp on national security equal to that of a “kindergartner.” 

Chew on that for a moment. Trump pals believed that the National Security Advisor had said the boss had the same understanding as a six-year-old. 

A second woman was allegedly offered $10,000 dollars to go under cover and trap McMaster, but apparently refused. 

 

POSTSCRIPT: Since we mentioned people not going to jail because they got pardons, and people going to jail because they didn’t, let’s throw in an associate of General Flynn. Bijan Rafiekian, also known as Bijan Kian, has been convicted by a jury on the same charges (basically) that Flynn pled guilty to – and then reneged on his plea – and held out for a pardon. 

So, like John Lambert’s co-conspirator pal, Flynn gets to skate, while Rafiekian is sure to spend time behind bars.