The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday is set to hear arguments in the efforts of three Republican state Representatives to prohibit Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett from voting on rate cases involving ONG, OGE and PSO.
Oral arguments are scheduled for 2 p.m. in the writ of prohibition (PR-122513) sought by Reps. Gann, R-Inola, Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rick West, R-Heavener. Their lawsuit stemmed from the sexual abuse and drunkenness allegations made against Commissioner Hiett last summer. They believe an attorney who represents one of the three firms might have been the victim in a reported groping of a man at a bar by Hiett who was attending a national convention. The alleged victim did not file a report nor has come forward publicly.
The three legislators, who did not have public support of legislative leadership nor of Democrats, hired noted attorney Stephen Jones of Enid to represent them in Tuesday’s hearing. Hiett’s attorney is Joe White of Oklahoma City.
The representatives, in a statement issued last month explained why they were pursuing the legal matter.
“Our petition argues that the due process rights of millions of Oklahoma ratepayers are being violated by Commissioner Hiett in utility cases worth billions of dollars. His alleged drunken and sexual misconduct toward and in front of utility company representatives has tainted these cases, and ratepayers already are suffering from it.”
“We believe the rate payers in Oklahoma deserve fair and impartial representation from the Corporation Commission, and we are pleased Stephen Jones agrees with us. With his help and the court’s, we are confident judicial integrity and ratepayers’ constitutional rights can be restored at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.”
The petition was filed Sept. 13 by the three legislators who between them are all customers of the state’s three largest public utility companies – Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG), Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) and Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO). The petition seeks to prohibit Hiett’s continuing participation in utility cases at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) involving victims and/or witnesses of criminal conduct allegedly committed by Hiett, according to witness statements given to The Oklahoman in July and August. Hiett has refused to disqualify himself from the cases.