Giving Conway And Chandler The Coaled Shoulder

Via Memeorandum, here in Kentucky the practical upshot of the DISCLOSE Act getting killed yesterday is simple:  Big Coal is going to throw as much money as they can now to buy Rand Paul a Senate seat.

Several major coal companies hope to use newly loosened campaign-finance laws to pool their money and defeat Democratic congressional candidates they consider "anti-coal," including U.S. Senate nominee Jack Conway and U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler in Kentucky.

The companies hope to create a politically active nonprofit under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, so they won't have to publicly disclose their activities — such as advertising — until they file a tax return next year, long after the Nov. 2 election.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last winter that corporations and labor unions may pour unlimited funds into such efforts to influence elections.

"With the recent Supreme Court ruling, we are in a position to be able to take corporate positions that were not previously available in allowing our voices to be heard," wrote Roger Nicholson, senior vice president and general counsel at International Coal Group of Scott Depot, W.Va., in an undated letter he sent to other coal companies.

Nicholson declined to comment on his letter Tuesday, after the Herald-Leader obtained it.

"A number of coal industry representatives recently have been considering developing a 527 entity with the purpose of attempting to defeat anti-coal incumbents in select races, as well as elect pro-coal candidates running for certain open seats," Nicholson wrote. "We're requesting your consideration as to whether your company would be willing to meet to discuss a significant commitment to such an effort."

Yeah, who will speak for our poor, downtrodden, energy companies in states like kentucky?  Who will represent their interests as they continue to be downtrodden until the Supreme Court wisely allowed them to spend unlimited money on elections and our Senate concurred...

To be honest, a Ben Chandler win wouldn't be so bad for the coal companies either, but Rand there and his wonderful attitudes on government regulation in worker safety are exactly what the Big Coal guys are looking for in a bought and paid for Senator: effectively zero regulation of the industry and no responsibility or liability for accidents that may kill dozens or more at a time.

Hell, Sen. Rand Paul would be a dream come true for these guys and they know it.  They're going to bury this state under ads to try to annihilate Conway, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.