The news media is reporting this offensive story today about an unscrupulous coal mine owner, Rob Moore of Murray Energy. He closed a mine in Bellsville, Ohio for the day and required the workers to participate in Romney's rally.

The right wing news outlets touted the large "turnout"at the event as evidence that miners had turned against Obama.

The downside of it all was that the miners didn't get paid for the day the mine was closed.

Because the company's mine had to be shut down for "safety and security" reasons during Romney's visit, Moore confirmed workers were not paid that day. He said miners also lose pay when weather or power outages shut down the mine, and noted that federal election law doesn't let companies pay workers to attend political events.

Ironically, Romney was there to promote job creation. Other GOP headliners were Sen. Rob Portman and Ohio Treasurer (and senate candidate) Josh Mandel.

Murray Energy has donated over $900,000 to GOP candidates in the last several years, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

In case Murray Energy's name sounds familiar, Rob Moore and his company were majority owners of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah. In 2007, this mine collapsed, killing 6 workers. It had been cited numerous times over previous years for safety concerns.

Such an irony that Mr. Moore chose to cite safety concerns for the one day closing of the Bellsville, OH mine.

Update: I'm going to be out for the next couple of hours, so can't respond to comments. I'll check in later, though. Thanks.