Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners face a long agenda for Tuesday’s meeting including some issues raised by former Commissioner Bob Anthony in his criticism of sitting Commissioner Todd Hiett.
The most prominent of former Commissioner Anthony’s requests was the filing he made in August 2024 during which he called on Commissioner Hiett to resign over the allegations of public drunkenness and public sexual incidents that came to light last year.
Commissioners at the Tuesday meeting will consider discussion and a possible vote to dismiss Anthony’s filing in Case No. GD2024-000003.
In the filing made Aug. 13, 2024, |Anthony said his position on the matter had not changed.
“Commissioner Hiett’s alleged sexual assault against the attorney
of a company that appears before this commission is also an assault on this commission,” he charged.
“The only possible remedy to our compromised constitutional legitimacy and judicial integrity is for Commissioner Hiett to resign. It is completely unethical and unacceptable for him to
continue to vote on cases impacting the employer of his victim and/or witnesses, as he did last week. Frankly, it is completely unacceptable for him to continue to occupy a seat on this
Commission period.”
Hiett refused to resign and has voted on rate cases involving major utilities, votes that led Rep. Tom Gann and others to file challenges against him in the State Supreme Court. Two more such lawsuits were filed late last week regarding a rate case for Oklahoma Gas and Electric and a Fuel Adjustment Clause case approved for Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Anthony also filed criticism over the hiring of an Oklahoma City law firm to conduct an investigation into some of the issues surrounding Hiett at the time. He charged the Commission was on a path of organized obstruction and coverup of the allegations against Hiett.
“It has also been made clear that when the alleged perpetrator is a person with significant power and authority, like an elected official who cannot be disciplined or fired, only a professionally-
led, independent investigation whose results are made public can overcome that power differential between the abuser and the victim and allow for true accountability,” stated Anthony in the filing.
Now it appears Anthony’s case faces “closing” at the hands of two of the three commissioners who sat with him at the time of the filings. Commissioner Brian Bingman was not elected at the time.
Commissioners plan to consider closing former Commissioner Anthony’s request made in February 1996 for an inspection of public records of Arkansas Louisana Gas Company.
In another matter, Commissioners plan a discussion of Senate Bill 998 and House Bill 2747, bills promoted by Faxon Rep. Trey Caldwell who last week criticized commissioners for being bureaucrats who failed to consider efforts to promote natural gas use in the state.
House Bill 2747 is a measure that drew criticism from those who labeled it a bill allowing for Right of First Refusal on the part of utilities in the construction of certain transmission projects. Rep. Caldwell has denied it is a ROFR bill and instead promotes the use of natural gas.
The Commissioners might consider a statement or letter about both bills.