Murray Energy lays off miners over Obama’s ‘war on coal’
Crandall Canyon Mine co-owner Robert Murray emerges from a mine in August 2007 to report that a second bore hole had reached the vicinity of six coal miners trapped 1,500 feet beneath the surface near Huntington, Utah.
The nation's largest privately-owned coal company has laid off more than 150 workers following the president's reelection, citing Barack Obama's "war on coal."
Murray Energy CEO Robert E. Murray was in the news even before Tuesday's election over accusations that he forced staff to attend a Mitt Romney rally, accusations he's denied.
More from GlobalPost: Mitt Romney tells employers to 'make it very clear' to employees how to vote (VIDEO)
He was also investigated over claims he coerced coworkers into donating for a pro-Republican political action committee.
So yeah, it's clear Murray doesn't like President Obama.
But on the day after Obama's reelection, Murray read a "prayer for America" to company staff before announcing the layoffs of 54 people at American Coal, one of his subsidiary companies, and 102 more at Utah American Energy, the Washington Post reported.
More from GlobalPost: What Obama's win means to the rest of the world
“Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build," he said in the prayer, according to the Post.
Murray cited the Obama administration's "war on coal" for the moves, and suggested more may be coming.
Murray’s prayer from Wednesday first appeared on the website of the Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register.
The Post confirmed its legitimacy with a Murray company spokesman.
Here is the full text of the prayer:
"Dear Lord:
The American people have made their choice. They have decided that America must change its course, away from the principals of our Founders. And, away from the idea of individual freedom and individual responsibility. Away from capitalism, economic responsibility, and personal acceptance.
We are a Country in favor of redistribution, national weakness and reduced standard of living and lower and lower levels of personal freedom.
My regret, Lord, is that our young people, including those in my own family, never will know what America was like or might have been. They will pay the price in their reduced standard of living and, most especially, reduced freedom.
The takers outvoted the producers. In response to this, I have turned to my Bible and in II Peter, Chapter 1, verses 4-9 it says, “To faith we are to add goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self control; to self control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, kindness; to brotherly kindness, love.”
Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build. We ask for your guidance in this drastic time with the drastic decisions that will be made to have any hope of our survival as an American business enterprise.
Amen."