The recent departure of Oklahoma Deputy Attorney General Chase Snodgrass resulted in a change of state attorneys representing the Corporation Commission in the lawsuit filed by three state legislators challenging the votes of Commissioner Todd Hiett.
Snodgrass resigned to take a position with an Oklahoma City law firm and his departure was explained in a July filing with the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Recent filings show his replacements include Thomas Grossnicklaus and Ashley N. Youngblood with the Utility Regulation Unit of the Office of Attorney General.
The Supreme Court lawsuit by Reps. Tom Gann, Kevin West and Rick West contends the OGE and ONG rate case votes by Commissioner Hiett should not have been allowed because of ethics allegations raised against him last year. They concerned claims “including drunk driving and indecent exposure.”
“OG&E customers Tom Gann, Kevin West and Rick West appeal and request de novo review of issues concerning statutory interpretation, including disqualification and lawful audits,” charged the legislators.
Their lawsuit, filed April 17, 2025, also wants the Supreme Court to answer one of a handful of claims.
“Whether Commissioner Todd Hiett erred by unlawfully participating in a matter from which he should rightly have disqualified himself according to State Ethics Rule 4.7 after he
allegedly committed criminal acts on June 21, 2023 at/after an event hosted by two of OG&E’s attorneys of record in this matter about which those same attorneys refused to answer when
asked on the record if they had direct knowledge; and consequently, whether the Oklahoma Corporation Commission violated the constitutionally protected due process rights4 ofthe
captive customers of monopoly public utility company OG&E by issuing orders as to which a commissioner should not have participated, including voting on the OCC’s November 26, 2024
Interim Order and March 27, 2025 Final Order approving a $127 million rate increase for those captive customers, as well as disallowing a properly posted presentation and public comment by former Oklahoma Accountancy Board President David Greenwell on July 23, 2024.”
