The three Republican legislators who challenged the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s $127 million rate hike awarded last year to Oklahoma Gas and Electric have been given a January 24 deadline to comply with the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola; Kevin West, R-Moore; and Rick West, R-Heavener, filed an appeal Dec. 19 with the State Supreme Court over the commission’s $127 million rate hike awarded Oklahoma Gas and Electric.
(see file: 1060369515-20241220-075056-.pdf)
The Supreme Court order, signed by chief Justice Dustin P. Rowe, indicated there appears to be a question regarding the appeal.
“Appellants are directed to show cause, no later than January 24, 2025, why this appeal should not be dismissed for lack of a final or otherwise appealable order. Although appellants designated the appeal as an interlocutory order appealable by right, the order does not appear to be within the class of interlocultory orders appealable by right,” stated the order.
The three legislators filed the appeal and claimed the alleged criminal activity of Commissioner Todd Hiett involving public runkenness and sexual abuse was cause enough for the high court to ban him from voting on the rate cases.
“Appellants have identified at least fifteen other utility cases involving attorneys with direct knowledge of alleged criminal conduct by Commissioner Todd Hiett—cases in which Hiett is actively participating despite the fact that they are obviously matters in which Hiett’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned and thereby from which he is required to disqualify himself according to the substantially similar language of both State Ethics Rule 4.7 and Code of Judicial Conduct Rule 2.ll”
In response to the appeal by the three legislators, the State attorney general and some consumer groups have filed a response in support of the Corporation Commission and the approved rate increase.
