Failed Senate Candidate Don Blankenship Files $12B Suit Against Media Outlets For Ruining His Campaign

The Huntington Herald-Dispatch reports:

Former Massey Energy CEO and U.S. Senate candidate Don Blankenship on Thursday filed a lawsuit seeking at least $12 billion in damages from a variety of national news and political organizations, claiming they set out on a “search and destroy” mission against his 2018 candidacy for the Senate.

The lawsuit, filed in Mingo County Circuit Court, claimed the “DC establishment ‘swamp’ and the establishment media united … to take out Mr. Blankenship” in his bid for election. He argued in the suit that repeated references about him in the media as a “convicted felon” as damaging his bid, even though he was not convicted of any felonies in relation to the Upper Big Branch mine explosion in Raleigh County in 2010 that killed 29 miners.

Among those named in the lawsuit were news organizations Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, Boston Globe Media Partners, Breitbart News Network, Clarity Media Group, The Washington Times, Tribune Publishing Co., Los Angeles Times Communications, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.

During the campaign, Blankenship repeatedly attacked “Cocaine Mitch” McConnell and his “China people,” eventually embracing the “bigot” label in his final ad.