ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Tea Party activists claim the current leadership in Washington doesn’t serve the needs of the local working people, yet voters in the Ohio Valley have supported candidates who are aligned with the current governmental hierarchy 98 percent of the time.

That message was a focal point of a rally Thursday night outside the Belmont County Courthouse, where hundreds of local residents gathered for a major Tea Party rally as the November elections approach.

The keynote speaker on the crisp fall night was Robert Murray, head of Murray Energy Corp., which owns – among other coal operations in the country – the Ohio Valley Coal Company and American Energy Corporation – two of the largest employers in Belmont County and the region.

“I am scared to death for this area and for the livelihoods of the people who live and work here,” Murray told the crowd. “Frankly I am outraged to see what’s happening in the Tri-State area today.”

Murray said in his lifetime he has lived in Martins Ferry, Flushing, Shadyside, Bethesda and St. Clairsville, where he and his wife have a home. He also has a home near Cleveland where Murray Energy’s offices are headquartered, but noted that he spends most of his time here in the Ohio Valley.

“This is where my people are,” he said. “This is where I am.”

Nationwide, Murray Energy currently employs 2,875 people with living-wage jobs and good benefits. According to university statistics, these jobs translate to 34,500 secondary jobs.

Benefits for these workers and even their jobs could be a stake if the leadership in Washington continues to move forward with their agenda, Murray indicated.

“There’s never been a Democrat in the federal government who helped me create one job,” said Murray. “They’ve helped destroy jobs, but never helped me create one.”

Murray said the Democratic party that was once known as the party of the people is today a party supported by rich elitists, Hollywood celebrities who have a lot of money and unions that carry unfunded liabilities that include more than 130,000 owed pensions that were never funded through union dues over the years.

Those at the rally, presented by We the People of the Ohio Valley and the Belmont County chapter, attacked the records of President Barack Obama and House Spaker Nancy Pelosi.

“They’ve never had a real job,” said Murray, “nor have they ever created one.

“They need to be fired,” he said, to an eruption of applause.

Murray said Obama started his political career as a community organizer and while he may have created jobs using taxpayer’s money, never did so in the private sector.

“Some people call him a communist,” Murray said of Obama. “He’s far left of a communist. He’s a revolutionary.”

Because of “Obamacare,” failed stimulus packages and growing government, the nation’s deficit continues to grow by billions of dollars, those at the rally heard.

Murray asked the crowd if they have seen the signs along the highways boasting about the federal government’s many stimulus projects. “Each one of those signs costs $10,500 to paint and put up!”

Legislation like Cap and Trade will essentially kill jobs in the coal industry, and subsequently, everywhere in America.

“Cap and Trade legislation is the greatest threat to the Tri-State area right now,” said Murray. “I am frightened for my employees’ jobs and benefits, and for their families.

“Obama is throwing away the economic future of our children and grandchildren. The private sector – you and me – have become subservient to the king and queen (Obama and Pelosi).”

Murray said the current leaders have become alien in the White House, unaware of the true needs of the working people like those in the Ohio Valley. Yet the local representatives continue to support them, and local voters continue to support the same politicians.

“Don’t be fooled by their campaign ads. We need to throw them out,” he said. “We need to fire all the Democrats who have continued to support these policies. And this is just the beginning on Nov. 2. We need to do it ag Other speakers at the rally included Kelly Conway of We the People, who played host to the event.

“It bothers me when we’re told to tighten our belts, that things aren’t the way they used to be,” said Conway. “I don’t really expect the truth out of Washington, D.C. anymore. That’s why we’re going to change it.”

Conway dubbed the area’s U.S. Reps. Charlie Wilson (D-6th) and Zack Space (D-18th) “Charlie Pelosi and Nancy Space.”

The rally welcomed other speakers to promote moral values, as well. Coach Dave Daubenmire of London, Ohio spoke about Christian values. A former candidate for the 18th Congressional District, Daubenmire was a high school football coach who was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for leading prayers with his football team for Fairfield Christian Academy in Lancaster, Ohio.

“There is an anti-Christian wave sweeping across American,” Coach Dave said.

The Tea Party Express rolls on with another rally set for Saturday, Oct. 30 at 3:30 p.m. at Wheeling Heritage Port.

Ayres can be reached at eayres@timesleaderonline.com.