"A Disgraced Coal Baron Just Showed Up at a Hillary Clinton Protest"

"Don Blankenship was recently sentenced to prison, but that's not keeping him away from the presidential election."

"The presidential primary in West Virginia isn't until next week, but Hillary Clinton was there yesterday to campaign in coal country and tout her endorsement from Sen. Joe Manchin, the state's popular Democratic senator.

Things didn't exactly go as planned.

Clinton has tried to balance her promise to carry forward President Barack Obama's climate change agenda—which didn't cause the current collapse of the coal industry, but certainly isn't helping it—with a commitment to ignite new economic activity in Appalachia. But she stumbled during a CNN town hall in March, when she said her administration would "put a lot of coal companies and coal miners out of business." (She was attempting to tout her plan to bring new economic development to coal country.) She quickly apologized for the remark, but not before producing a delicious sound bite for her Republican opponents in the region."

Tim McDonnell reports for Mother Jones/Climate Desk May 3, 2016.

SEE ALSO:

"Clinton Slams Convicted Ex-Coal Chief" (The Hill)

"Hillary Clinton Denounces Unusual Protester: Donald Blankenship, Convicted Mine Executive" (The Hill)

"Blankenship Issues Statement After Attending Clinton Event" (WSAZ)

"Clinton Urges Tougher Sentences For Mine Safety Crimes" (Charleston Gazette-Mail)

"Donald Trump To Have Rally In Charleston" (Huntington Herald-Dispatch)

"Protesters Meet Clinton in Williamson" (Williamson Daily News)