On January 8, 1970, Yablonski's attorney waived the right to further internal review and requested an immediate investigation of the election by DOL . On January 17, 1972, the United States Supreme Court granted Mike Trbovich, a 51-year-old coal mine shuttle car operator and union member from District 5 ( Yablonski's district ), permission to Labor Secretary George P . Shultz assigned 230 investigators to the UMWA investigation.
