Watchdogs accuse Ohio's Murray Energy coal company of coercing employees into political donations for Republicans

An Ohio coal company run by a staunch supporter of Mitt Romney is denying allegations that it violated fundraising rules in directing employees to contribute to the company’s political action committee and threatening the loss of jobs if Republicans lose. A complaint filed this week with the Federal Election Commission by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington alleges that Murray Energy Corporation and its CEO Robert Murray “coerced” workers to make the political contributions with financial reprisal, including the loss of their jobs. In response to charges into fundraising activities, also made by the Ohio Democratic Party, Murray Energy sent FSRN a written statement calling the allegations “unfounded” and “baseless.” The company said the allegations are “an attempt to silence Murray Energy and its owners from supporting their coal mining employees and families by speaking out against President Barack Obama’s well known and documented War on Coal.” The charges were prompted, in part, by an article in the New Republic Magazine published last week. The case brings attention to other similar incidents. In Florida, David Siegel, of Westgate Resorts of Orlando, warned employees that their jobs could be at risk in the election, according to a copy of an email obtained and published by the Orlando Sentinel. CEO Richard Lacks in Michigan sent his employees a letter warning of cuts to paychecks if Obama were re-elected and urging them to vote in November for the candidate of “smaller government and less government,” according to excerpts leaked to local media. For more, we’re joined by Melanie Sloan, she’s the executive director with the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW.