GOP invite witness to testify about coal mine, call cops on her for child porn

This article was originally published on Examiner.com on June 12, 2012.

Maria Gunnoe is an activist living in West Virginia, and in 2009 she won The Goldman Environmental Prizefor her work in bringing attention to the atrocious conditions created by mountain top coal mining. Because of her work as an activist against the coal industry, Gunnoe has been the repeated victim of harassment both verbal and physical. Several attempts on her life have been made, including unknown persons who have tried on more than one occasion to run her car off mountainous roads. Because of this there have been occasions where she has had to live under 24 hour surveillance for her own safety. Needless to say, she is no stranger to controversy or bully tactics.

On June 1st she testified in front of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. She was making a presentation about the conditions which arise from mountain top coal mining, that includes the pollution and nullification of drinking water in the surrounding areas. Most water is unusable, and toxic to humans. To read her full remarks, please click here.

During her presentation, she intended to show a slideshow which featured informational slides, as well as pictures of the conditions on the ground, and showcasing what these conditions do to people in their everyday lives.

One picture caught the eye of Republican lawmaker Doug Lamborn which he said was inappropriate. It was that of a 5 year old, naked, in a tub of dirty water. It was so dirty, that the child’s private area was not exposed in anyway. Lamborn thought differently about this, and contacted the police who then questioned Gunnoe for over 45 minutes asking if she had any connection to pedophilia! As of this writing, no charges were pressed.

The child in question’s parents? They gave their full blessing for the image to be used. It was, after all, their child who is forced to bathe in that water. Their intentions of giving their children better living conditions trump the demented thoughts of a biased congressmen.

Republican Congressmen Lamborn has taken thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the mining industries, as well as the coal and oil industries. In fact, of all contributors the mining, and oil industries are among his top donors!

If you can imagine a seasoned and hardened activist had went to a hallowed place seeking to be heard. Instead of allowing her to do that, the very same lawmaker who made what is happening on the mountain tops legal showed whose side he is on, and it is not on the side of the people.