Robert E. Murray
Robert E. Murray | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Edward Murray January 13, 1940 Martins Ferry, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 25, 2020 (aged 80) |
| Occupation(s) | Mining engineer, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Murray Energy; rejection of climate change science; Crandall Canyon Mine collapse handling; strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) |
Robert Edward Murray (January 13, 1940 – October 25, 2020) was an American professional in mining engineering and entrepreneurship. He established and led as chief executive officer the mining firm Murray Energy, headquartered in St. Clairsville, Ohio, until its eventual insolvency. Murray was notably recognized for his rejection of climate change science, his contentious handling of the Crandall Canyon Mine collapse, and for initiating multiple strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). Accusations of sexual misconduct surfaced in 2014 and 2016, which were subsequently resolved through out-of-court settlements.
Early life
Born on January 13, 1940, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, Murray entered the coal mining workforce at the age of 16 by falsifying his age to provide financial support for his family. His early years in mining involved several serious incidents, including a head injury caused by a falling steel beam and being trapped underground for a 12-hour period.
He completed his secondary education as valedictorian at Bethesda High School in 1957. Murray then earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree specializing in Mining from Ohio State University. Additionally, he attended a six-week executive management program at Harvard Business School.
Career
Murray's professional journey began at the North American Coal Corporation (NACC), where he rose to the role of vice president of operations by 1969. Between 1974 and 1983, he served as president of NACC's Western Division, managing four subsidiary companies located in North Dakota. During this period, a strike took place in 1974 at the Indian Head Mine in Zap, which NACC intended to shut down. In 1983, Murray ascended to president and CEO of NACC.
His involvement extended to board memberships with organizations such as the National Mining Association, American Coal Foundation, National Coal Council, Ohio Coal Association, and Pennsylvania Coal Association. Murray also held trustee positions and past presidencies at the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc., the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc., as well as serving as president of The Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute.
Murray Energy
In 1988, Murray launched Murray Energy by purchasing the Powhatan No. 6 mine from the Ohio Valley Coal Company. Initially concentrating on producing high-heat bituminous coal primarily for electricity generation, the company later transitioned its focus toward metallurgical coal utilized in steel manufacturing.
In a letter addressed to the White House in 2017, Murray cautioned that absent an emergency directive under the Federal Power Act to reactivate coal-fired power plants, both his company and significant client FirstEnergy Solutions risked bankruptcy. This appeal was ultimately declined by both the White House and the Department of Energy.
On October 29, 2019, Murray Energy Holdings filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Although Murray stepped down from his CEO position, he continued as chairman of the reorganized company known as Murray NewCo; leadership roles including president and CEO were assumed by his nephew Robert D. Moore. Employees voiced apprehension regarding their pension plans and healthcare benefits since Murray remained the final major coal industry contributor to the United Mine Workers of America pension fund.
Crandall Canyon Mine collapse
In August 2007, six miners became trapped within the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah, a facility co-owned and operated by Murray Energy subsidiary UtahAmerican Energy. Efforts to rescue them resulted in the deaths of three rescue personnel. Subsequent borehole investigations suggested that survival was improbable for the trapped miners. They were officially declared deceased, with their remains never recovered. Before the incident, the mine had accumulated 64 safety violations and faced a $12,000 fine.
Robert Murray attributed the collapse to a natural seismic event measuring 3.9 in magnitude and denied any connection to retreat mining operations. He dismissed "retreat mining" as terminology propagated by union advocates seeking to organize workers at the mine.
Contrary to Murray’s assertions, seismologists and regulatory authorities challenged this explanation, indicating that the collapse was a coal mine bump associated with retreat mining techniques. Richard E. Stickler, then the highest-ranking mine safety official, stated that the event was not a natural earthquake. Experts from the University of California, Berkeley concluded that the seismic signature aligned with an underground mine collapse. Similarly, researchers from the University of Utah confirmed that the tremor was not caused by tectonic activity.
On July 24, 2008, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) imposed its largest-ever coal mine safety penalty of $1.85 million related to the collapse. Genwal Resources was fined $1.34 million for violations directly contributing to the fatalities, along with nearly $300,000 for additional breaches. Agapito Associates, a mining consultancy responsible for flawed mine design analysis, was fined $220,000.
Robert Murray faced widespread criticism for his demeanor during rescue operations. MSHA noted his erratic conduct during briefings with victims’ families, where he often became angry and shouted, causing distress among attendees. He accused media outlets of disseminating falsehoods and referred to union representatives as "your enemy."
Political activity
Between 2005 and 2007, the Murray Energy PAC contributed more than $150,000 to Republican candidates, including $30,000 directed toward Senate hopefuls such as George Allen, Sam Brownback, and Katherine Harris. From 2005 through 2018, donations to Republican politicians exceeded $1 million. The Ohio Valley Coal PAC, linked to Murray Energy, donated $10,000 to George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign.
In response to the 2006 Sago Mine tragedy, legislators in West Virginia and Ohio proposed laws mandating miners wear emergency tracking devices. Murray actively opposed these bills, labeling them "extremely misguided" and criticizing the swift legislative reaction at the state level. He argued for federal intervention to create standardized safety regulations through a study commission, citing adversarial relations between unions and companies as an obstacle to private safety agreements. Murray contended that personal emergency devices (PEDs) were ineffective under typical mining conditions and required further technological refinement.
He endorsed federal requirements for drug testing and fire prevention measures within mining operations.
On August 14, 2012, Murray hosted Mitt Romney at Century coal mine in Beallsville, Ohio. Some miners claimed they were compelled to attend without compensation. The company’s COO stated attendance was mandatory but not coerced. Pay was suspended for that day based on assertions that participation was crucial for advancing coal industry interests and protecting workers' livelihoods. Murray Energy was a significant financial supporter of Romney and other Republican candidates; employees reported consistent political pressure from management.
In October 2012, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Murray Energy pressured employees into donating one percent of their wages to its political action committee.
Just three days following the 2012 presidential election, Murray laid off 156 employees, attributing this action to what he described as a "war on coal" initiated by the Obama administration.
During the 2016 presidential campaign cycle, Murray Energy contributed over $300,000 toward Donald Trump’s inauguration festivities. Murray submitted a memorandum outlining sixteen energy policy priorities—including subsidies for nuclear and coal facilities, easing mine safety regulations, and reducing environmental oversight—to Vice President Mike Pence, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and President Trump.
Murray maintained active lobbying efforts on energy policies at both state and federal levels until his passing.
Rejection of Climate Change Science
Murray dismissed the widely accepted scientific agreement on climate change. In June 2007, he testified before the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, claiming that "the science of global warming is questionable." Additionally, in a MarketWatch editorial from May 2007, he asserted that "the genuine environmental threat linked to carbon emissions remains highly uncertain."
During a 2007 address to the New York Coal Trade Association, Murray labeled Al Gore as "the prophet of global despair" and remarked that "he poses a greater danger than global warming itself."
Murray opposed legislative efforts addressing climate change in Congress, contending that such measures would "destroy the coal sector and cause electricity prices to rise by four to five times."
Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Murray encouraged Donald Trump to pull the nation out of international climate accords, dismissing "so-called global warming" as an outright fabrication.
Actions Against Media Professionals
Murray initiated more than a dozen defamation suits targeting journalists and media outlets; however, none concluded favorably for him. His legal actions included cases against environmental journalist Ken Ward Jr. from The Charleston Gazette, philosopher Michael Stark of The Huffington Post, reporter Margaret Newkirk of the Akron Beacon Journal, and the Chagrin Valley Times. He also threatened lawsuits against Steve Fiscor, editor of Coal Age and Engineering & Mining Journal, as well as R. Larry Grayson, professor emeritus at Pennsylvania State University.
Conflict with Last Week Tonight
In June 2017, Murray sent a cease and desist notice to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver after the program sought his commentary on the coal industry. The episode aired on June 18 and criticized Murray’s record on miner safety following the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster. On June 21, Murray and his affiliated companies filed suit against Oliver, the show's writers, HBO, and parent company Time Warner, alleging that the episode incited harm toward him and his enterprises. The American Civil Liberties Union submitted an amicus brief defending the show’s content as protected speech and characterizing the lawsuit as an attempt to suppress free expression.
The defendants moved the case to federal court; however, in August 2017, a judge sent it back to West Virginia state court citing lack of diversity jurisdiction. The claim against HBO was dismissed with prejudice in February 2018. After Murray chose not to pursue an appeal, Oliver discussed the lawsuit’s significance in a November 2019 episode titled "SLAPP Suits," highlighting that filing in West Virginia—where anti-SLAPP protections are absent—reduced Murray’s personal exposure. HBO incurred legal expenses totaling $200,000. Oliver suggested that such litigation tactics and Murray's reputation for suing may have discouraged media outlets from covering ongoing sexual harassment allegations against him.
The "SLAPP Suits" episode concluded with a musical number called "Eat Shit, Bob!" inspired by a 2015 event where a miner rejected a bonus program by returning a $3.22 check inscribed with that phrase—one of the reasons behind Murray’s lawsuit. The court ruled that metaphorical expressions like this are safeguarded speech. The segment also featured deliberately exaggerated accusations against Murray, including claims that he was responsible for assassinating Archduke Ferdinand and being the Zodiac Killer. This episode earned the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming and received a nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
Workplace sexual harassment
In 2014, Murray faced two separate lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior toward employees. Both cases were resolved through confidential settlements. A third sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against him in 2016.
Personal life
Residing in Moreland Hills, Ohio, Murray lived with his spouse, Brenda Lou Moore, and together they raised three children.
He was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a respiratory illness that leads to difficulty breathing. In September 2020, he submitted an application for black lung benefits to the U.S. Department of Labor. Notably, during his tenure overseeing coal mining enterprises, Murray challenged miners' black lung claims and resisted federal measures intended to mitigate the disease.
Philanthropy
In 2009, Murray Energy contributed $20,000 toward establishing an advanced mine training center at West Virginia University and provided $10,000 for a comparable facility at Southeastern Illinois College. Additionally, Murray personally donated $1 million to the West Virginia University Research Trust Fund—the largest single gift in the institution’s history—leading to the creation of the Robert E. Murray Chairmanship of Mining Engineering in his name.
In 2018, he donated over $1.2 million to support the construction of a new 28,000-square-foot facility at East Richland Christian Schools, which included a gymnasium, kitchen, and classrooms intended for use by the school, local church, and broader community.
Murray was also involved as a volunteer with the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Death
Robert E. Murray passed away on October 25, 2020, at age 80, shortly after announcing his retirement.
External links
- Robert E. Murray’s federal campaign contribution records
- After Obama’s reelection coal company CEO reads prayer to staff, announces layoffs – The Washington Post
- Kimberley Strassel, "Coal Man," The Wall Street Journal (archived)