Link to video on this pageSpadaro is the former head of the National Mine Health and Safety Academy (MSHA)
COLMES: Why was it open then? If you, as a safety expert, feels it should not have been, why was it open?
SPADARO: I think it’s because of the current Bush administration’s policies toward mine operators and their reluctance to take the strong enforcement action that’s sometimes necessary. And that often involves closing a mine.
SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: Jack, let’s not politicize this! I mean, already, what do you want, to blame George Bush with this? Is that where you’re headed with this political question? I don’t think this is the time to go into that.
There certainly are issues. This mine was cited for over 200 violations, 46 during an 11-week period late in the year. They’ve been fined thousands of dollars. But I can’t see an instance where it was recommended that they close it.
SPADARO: Well, actually, there were three orders to close portions of the mine that were issued in the October to the December period. And there has been a significant change since the Bush administration took over, the enforcement of mine safety and health.
And I can speak to that, because I worked in the agency, and I talk with people every day who tell me that, in recent years, and particularly in recent months, there’s been a reluctance on the part of the top management at the Mine Safety and Health Administration…
HANNITY: All right, you’ve got a political…
SPADARO: … to enforce the law.
HANNITY: We don’t have time tonight to get into this, nor do I think it’s appropriate. But you clearly have a political agenda that, if I had enough time, I’m sure I…
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BTW, Here's a chart on mining deaths for the last 10 years. Kinda blows that morons story to hell that Bush is responsible for a decline in the enforcement of mine safety.
LINK TO DATA AND ARTICLECoal Mine Fatalities, 1995 -2005