Energy companies should do more for the workers, says WV candidate

Latest

 
Editor’s note: The People’s Tribune interviewed Richard Ojeda II, state senator from West Virginia, who is running for a seat in the US House from WV’s 3rd District. His campaign shows that taking controversial positions in states where big energy is dominant can be challenging.
Last year, Richard Ojeda was brutally beaten and hospitalized. He believes it was politically motivated. The retired U.S. Army veteran had been filing Freedom of Information Act requests to try to expose corruption in the county. However, he said that the incident fueled his resolve to keep fighting. “My job is to represent!” he told the People’s Tribune. “I will not be bullied into casting votes because of the party or any other legislators. I am tired of listening to legislators say people need to learn to live within their means when the legislators saying those words have wealth. They have no concept of what life is like for a single parent or a person who has been out of work and just trying to keep their electric on.”
On energy, Ojeda said, “I think our state still has the ability to be a major player for our country. Our state deserves to be compensated by those who enter our state and get rich from our resources. Our state is in financial crisis and we cannot continue to place the burden on the backs of the working class people. It’s time for big energy to show more appreciation to the state that has made them independently wealthy and the men and women that work for them.” On mountain top removal coal mining, Ojeda said, “If a mountaintop is to be removed there should be a specific purpose for that mountaintop. We are the mountain state. I would like to see hemp, medical marijuana and lavender on the tops of those mountains because those crops can allow growers to create decent paying jobs for folks who find themselves out of work.”
Visit voteojeda.com for more information about the campaign.
 

PT Logo collage
+ Articles by this author

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Journalist Says Why ‘I Can No Longer Work With Reuters’

A photojournalist says why it is impossible for her to maintain a relationship with Reuters "given its role in justifying and enabling the systematic assassination of 245 journalists in Gaza."

Abrego Garcia Detained Again, Could be Deported to Uganda

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran immigrant worker, was freed from detention in Tennessee Aug. 22 and then re-arrested by ICE on Aug. 25 in Maryland. The Trump administration is trying to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda.

An Open Letter to Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose, CA.

From the San Jose CA Frontlines: Stop the sweeps. Unhoused people want a safe place to stay. All people should be respected, shown compassion, understanding.

Global Food Authority Declares Catastrophic Famine in Gaza

On Aug. 22, the world's top authority on hunger crises officially declared that a catastrophe-level famine in Gaza exists—a humanitarian disaster engineered by Israel's relentless blockade of food aid and other life-saving supplies.

Thousands of Texans Protest Trump’s Redistricting Plan To Get More Votes

The Texas capitol of Austin saw 5,000 people protesting Trump’s unconstitutional redistricting plan and other issues threatening our democracy.

More from the People's Tribune