The early reviews are already rough, as local media notes Gray’s economic plan is a ‘tough sell.’
[youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRU0itH7KaM"]
“Democratic candidate Jim Gray is expected to start outlining his plans to help communities that are struggling as the coal industry falters. It could be a tough sell. Republicans have heaped criticism on Democrats like Gray after Hillary Clinton announced her policies would put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.”
If there’s any doubt that Gray would fall in line behind the Democrats’ War on Coal, just take a look at who he counts as friends in Washington. Gray supports, and is supported by, a host of anti-coal politicians who – spoiler alert – aren’t keeping company with Gray so he can change their minds.
BACKGROUND
Gray Supports Hillary Clinton For President Who Said She’d Put Coal Miners And Coal Companies Out Of Business As President
Gray Said He Supports Hillary Clinton For President. KET’S BILL GOODMAN: “Mr. Gray, on the candidates?” GRAY: “Well, I know that Rand Paul will try to tie me to Hillary Clinton and I support her. But I’m an independent thinker, and this is really about Rand Paul. Rand Paul has spent more time in the cornfields of Iowa and the coffee shops of New Hampshire than he has dealing with the issues of Kentuckians. And that’s what we need to be focused on. We need to be focused on the senator who’s going to be focused on Kentucky and Kentucky’s problems and deal with the brokenness and dysfunction in Washington. That’s what’s important.” (KET’s “Kentucky Tonight,” 5/9/16) (Min Mar. 16:52-17:24)
Anti-Coal Politician Harry Reid Was Listed On A Fundraiser For Gray
In April 2016, Harry Reid Was Listed On An Invite To A Gray Fundraiser. “BLUEGRASS: Jeff Forbes, Robert Raben and John Weinfurter are hosting a fundraiser next month for Lexington, Ky., Mayor Jim Gray who’s running for Sen. Rand Paul’s seat. The invitation also names Sens. Harry Reid, Chuck "Chucky" Schumer, Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Murphy, Tammy Baldwin and Heidi Heitkamp, and Rep. John Yarmuth.” (Isaac Arnsdorf, “Lobbyist Prom,” Politico, 4/28/16)
Reid: “Coal Makes Us Sick.” SENATOR HARRY REID: “Coal makes us sick, oil makes us sick – it’s global warming. It’s ruining our country. It’s ruining our world. We’ve got to stop using fossil fuels.” (Fox Business, Uploaded 6/16/10) (Min. Mark 0:15-0:26)
Reid Said Coal Is “Ruining Our Country.” SENATOR HARRY REID: “Coal makes us sick, oil makes us sick – it’s global warming. It’s ruining our country. It’s ruining our world. We’ve got to stop using fossil fuels.” (Fox Business, Uploaded 6/16/10) (Min. Mark 0:15-0:26)
Anti-Coal Politician Elizabeth Warren’s Political Action Committee Donated To Gray’s U.S. Senate Campaign
On June 20, 2016, PAC For A Level Playing Field Contributed $5,000 To Jim Gray For Kentucky. (Jim Gray For Kentucky, 2016 Second Quarter FEC Report, Filed 7/15/16)
- Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Is An Affiliate For PAC For A Level Playing Field. (Center For Responsive Politics, Accessed 7/25/16)
Warren Called EPA Regulations To Cut Carbon Emissions From Power Plants By 30 Percent By The Year 2030 A “Powerful Step”. The two Democratic U.S. Senators from Massachusetts this week voiced their support for new Environmental Protection Agency standards which aim to cut the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from the nation’s power plants by an ambitious 30 percent by the year 2030. Sen. Elizabeth Warren called the move a ‘powerful step’ toward what Sen. Ed Markey described as the ‘beginning of the end of America’s long, dirty power plant era.’” (Robert Rizzuto, “Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey praise new EPA plan to cut power plant carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030,” Mass Live, 6/4/14)
- The EPA’s Regulations To Reduce Carbon Emissions From Power Plants Would Diminish Coal’s “Role In Producing U.S. Electricity.” “Yet the rule carries significant political and legal risks, by further diminishing coal’s role in producing U.S. electricity and offering options for pollution reductions far afield from the power plant, such as increased efficiency. Once the dominant source of energy in the U.S., coal now supplies just under 40 percent of the nation’s electricity, as it has been replaced by booming supplies of natural gas and renewable sources such as wind and solar.” (Robert Rizzuto, “Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey praise new EPA plan to cut power plant carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030,” Mass Live, 6/4/14)
Anti-Coal Politician Sherrod Brown’s Political Action Committee Donated To Gray’s U.S. Senate Campaign
On June 30, 2016, America Works Political Action Committee Contributed $2,500 To Jim Gray For Kentucky. (Jim Gray For Kentucky, 2016 Second Quarter FEC Report, Filed 7/15/16)
- Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is an affiliate for America Works PAC. (Center For Responsive Politics, Accessed 7/25/16)
Brown: “There Is No War On Coal.” “During a question and answer period with the audience, a Mandel supporter accused Brown of declaring a war on coal in Ohio. ‘There is no war on coal,’ said Brown. ‘There are more coal jobs and more coal produced in Ohio than five years ago.’” (Mark Zinni, “Ohio Senate Candidates Debate In Cleveland,” Fox 8 Cleveland, 10/15/12)