Trial begins for coal boss accused in illegal campaign contribution scheme

CLARKSBURG — Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys on Monday began untangling the red tape of campaign finance law and establishing whether a Morgantown coal operator knowingly violated it during the first day of trial for James L. Laurita Jr.

Opening arguments in Laurita’s case began a little after 2 p.m. in a federal courtroom in Clarksburg, where a 12-member jury will determine whether Laurita schemed to funnel illegal campaign contributions to candidates for Congress who supported the coal and energy industries in West Virginia between 2010 and 2013.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas said Laurita directed eight executives at his company, Mepco LLC, to make campaign contributions to certain candidates and channeled Mepco money to the employees through phony bonus payments.

“This case is about an abuse of trust and an abuse of authority,” Douglas said during opening statements.

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