Arizona’s utility regulator elected Republican Jim O’Connor as chair Tuesday, though the vote was not unanimous.
Five members of the Arizona Business Commission have served statewide and welcomed newly elected Republicans Kevin Thompson and Nick Myers on Tuesday. Members appoint a chairman who conducts public meetings and sets the agenda.
Last year, O’Connor said he hoped the commission would look into the state’s “voting machines” in hopes the county would abandon the use of modern technology and conduct the 2022 election “the old-fashioned way.” His attempt failed amid legal concerns that the matter was beyond the Commission’s mandate.
The Public Corporation Commission regulates electricity, water, and gas utilities and oversees securities investments, pipeline safety, and railroad crossings. Elections aren’t part of that job, but O’Connor has tried to convince his associates that he has the power to revoke corporate charters of companies that aren’t in compliance with state law, so he can investigate election matters, but so far Failed.
Commissioner Anna Tober, currently the only Democrat on the committee, nominated O’Connor to the position of chairman. But Republican Rea He Marquez He Peterson, who has been chairman for the past two years, said he could only endorse O’Connor if he stopped investigating election equipment.
“I truly believe that’s the role of the state legislature, counties and election officials, so I don’t want the commission to take the lead on the election fraud issue,” Marquez Peterson said.
She said she received legal advice on the matter last year when she refused to put O’Connor’s proposed investigation on the conference agenda.
O’Connor said he couldn’t make that promise.
“I have also received legal advice and cannot comment on whether or not the matter will be addressed until I have received that advice in full.
O’Connor also wrote county officials across the state about his concerns about voting facilities after attending a “Moment of Truth” seminar hosted by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell in late August in Springfield, Missouri. Cochise County officials pursued their own concerns about voting equipment and only certified the election results under a court order in early December.
However, O’Connor conceded that the legal avenue for the commission to pursue concerns about the election was unclear.
The powers of the Works Commission are set forth in Article 15 of the Arizona Constitution, which does not refer to powers over elections.
“As of today’s date, I can assure you that there is nothing in the statute, law or court opinion that seems to give way to us working on it,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor’s comments failed to convince Marquez Peterson, who voted against him as chair.
O’Connor has made controversial moves before
O’Connor caused controversy in 2021 when he tried to persuade major state utility leaders not to vaccinate workers against COVID-19. .”
There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine caused the problems O’Connor described.
O’Connor lost the 2018 Companies Commission primary and did not originally plan to run in 2020. In that year’s ballot, he launched a writing campaign that eventually landed him in his first public office.
Tovar and O’Connor find an unlikely bipartisan alliance on some issues on the committee.
They reached a compromise on the requirement to finally require utilities to rely on 100% carbon-free energy in the state in 2021.
But a year ago, O’Connor voted against the deal, saying no state rule was needed.
It was the second time a Republican commissioner changed his mind after first supporting the rule. Marquez Peterson initially voted in favor of the Clean Energy Regulation in 2020, but voted against the same regulation for final approval months later.
New Commissioner outlines consumer priorities
Prior to the Chair vote, the Commissioner heard farewell statements from the two outgoing members and held an oath of office ceremony for their replacements.
Democrat Sandra Kennedy failed to win another term in November, while Republican Justin Olson did not run for a second term on the committee and ran for Congress instead, losing the primary. .
They were replaced by Myers, who served as Olson’s policy adviser, and Thompson, who most recently served as a Mesa City Council member.
“The taxpayer’s experience is not a partisan issue,” Thompson said after taking the oath of office. “Over the next four years, my focus will all be on protecting consumers, ensuring the resilience and reliability of our energy grids, and ensuring that our customers have a great experience when working with the Commission. and move Arizona from the bottom of regulatory uncertainty to the top.”
He and Myers discussed a desire to increase the committee’s budget, fill vacancies, and raise salaries for the roughly 250 policy analysts, safety inspectors, lawyers and other professional staff.
“We want to make sure we get the pay scale we need for the committee, but more importantly, we need to staff the committee,” Myers said. , means rushing everything, which is a big problem.”
Please contact reporter Ryan Randazzo. ryan.randazzo@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.
