Jay Rockefeller and The Way Back Machine

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund announced it was divesting themselves from the worst of the fossil fuels, tar sands and coal. The Charleston Gazette reports the following:

 After John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil in 1870, the company quickly became the world’s largest oil refiner and a major source of the family’s future wealth.
ExxonMobil is Standard Oil’s largest successor today. Standard Oil also began other companies, including Chevron and Amoco.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is an heir of the Rockefeller family but has never been part of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Andrew Beckner, a spokesman for Rockefeller, said Tuesday, “He is not going to comment. He has nothing to do with the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. It is a foundation, not an investment fund. He has no money invested in the fund and is not involved in any of the decision-making”
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund was founded in 1940.
- See more at: http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20140923/GZ01/140929694/1102#sthash.IrKy7B8P.dpuf

Jay Rockefeller is a former Vista Volunteer who worked in West Virginia, he also served as a state legislator,Secretary of State, Governor, and is West Virginia's senior Senator serving in Washington since 1984.  He announced he will not be seeking reelection in 2014.

Coal is still king in West Virginia.  It is not surprising that Senator Rockefeller has no comment about the divestiture plans of the Foundation.  A lot of jobs and more than a few people's wealth are tied up in coal and coal mining in the Mountain State.  Coal also has also been a scourge on parts of the West Virginia environment and contributes acid rain.

Meanwhile, on one hand the U.S. is implementing regulations that will lessen the countries use of coal while actively working on increasing exports to China, Japan and Korea.

A lot of folks voted for Jay because he was so rich, he had no reason to steal money directly from the State as many West Virginia politicians were suspected of doing.

I guess thirty years a Senator is enough. 

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