Corporation Commission to Consider 25-year old Bribed Vote Case

Another effort will be Thursday by some members of the Oklahoma Corporation Commissino to reconsider the bribed vote in a 25 year old rate case involving the former Southwestern Bell Telephone Company.

The issue of what’s known as PUD 260, the 1989 case that sent the late Commissioner Bob Hopkins and Southwestern Bell attorney Bill Anderson to federal prison is on the Thursday morning agenda.

Commissioner Bob Anthony joined a handful of consumers last year in seeking a rehearing that could result in a refund of $16.1 billion from AT and T customers. The State Supreme Court refused to handle the matter so Anthony and several consumers filed a request before the Corporation Commission. A hearing was held in January but with Commissioner Dana Murphy absent, no decision was made.

The Thursday agenda includes an item stating that Commissioners are “seeking to uphold Article 9, Section 40 of the Oklahoma Constitution as well as abide by their Oath of Office found in Article 15, Section 1.”

“The convictions of Commissoiner Hopkins and William Anderson for bribery constitute an irrefutable denial of due process in this cause,” argued Commissioner Anthony during a January meeting when the issue was on the Commission agenda. “We should start with the Constitution. The big question is whether we should dismiss the case or hold a new trial.”

In a new filing by the 6 ATT customers, they are asking for a rehearing on the case and are opposing a move by Attorney General Scott Pruitt who is defending ATT in the case. Those filing the challenge are Sody Clements, Lt. Gen. (ret) Richard A. Burpee, James Proctor, Rodd a. Moesel, Ray H. Potts and Bob A. Ricks.

Proctor, who served as Director of the Corporation Commissoin’s Public Utility Division from 1990 to 1993 stated in the filing that previous attorneys general contradicted the stand taken by Pruitt. He filed an affidavit stating that Robert Henry and Susan Loving supported their cause.

“Paradoxically, the positions taken by Attorney General Pruitt are instead consistent with arguments made by SBTC—-arguments Attorney General Loving described as frivolous and must be dismissed and that the Commission itself has already rejected.”

The meeting begins at 9 a.m.