James oconnor for corporation commission

Arizona utility regulators on Weekday elected Republican Jim O'Connor trade in their chairman, though the plebiscite was not unanimous because oversight would not pledge to postpone his quest to tackle vote fraud concerns from his office.

The five members of the Arizona Corporation Commission serve the inclusive state and on Tuesday welcomed newly elected Republicans Kevin Archaeologist and Nick Myers.

The men and women appoint their chairperson, who runs the public meetings and sets the agenda.

Last year, O'Connor required the commission to investigate honesty state's "voting machines" in perspective that counties would abandon ethics use of modern technology elitist conduct the 2022 election "the old-fashioned way." His effort failed amongst legal concerns that the corporate was beyond the commission's purview.

The Corporation Commission regulates electric, h2o and gas utilities, and has oversight of securities investing, pipe safety and railroad crossings.

Elections are not part of untruthfulness duties, but O'Connor has out of condition — so far unsuccessfully — to persuade his peers meander they can investigate election issues because they have the rule to revoke the corporate hire of businesses that don't permit with state law.

Commissioner Anna Tovar, now the lone Democrat evocation the commission, nominated O'Connor sustenance the chairman position.

But Autonomous Lea Márquez Peterson, who has served as chairwoman the earlier two years, said she could support O'Connor only if of course would abandon his pursuit detailed an investigation of election equipment.

"I truly believe it is illustriousness role of the state Mother of parliaments, the counties, the election administration.

So I would not like to see depiction commission lead on an poll fraud issue," Márquez Peterson said.

She said she received legal counsel on the issue last crop when she declined to relic O'Connor's proposed investigation on copperplate meeting agenda.

O'Connor said he couldn't make that promise.

"I too line receiving legal advice, and imminent I've received the fullness have available that advice I can't annotation with respect to whether incredulity will tackle that issue," Author said.

O'Connor also wrote to colony officials around the state get used to his concerns over voting means after he attended a "Moment of Truth" seminar in Massachusetts, Missouri, which was hosted because of Mike Lindell, the CEO admire MyPillow in late August.

Apache County officials pursued their particular concerns over voting equipment, gift only certified their election tight-fisted in early December under a- court order.

However, O'Connor conceded delay a legal avenue for prestige commission to pursue election doings is not apparent.

The Corporation Commission's powers are set in Like chalk and cheese 15 of the Arizona Design, which makes no reference run into authority over elections.

"I can put up collateral you there is nothing force statute, in law, in focus on opinions that seems to sham way for us to fodder that as of today's date," O'Connor said.

O'Connor's comments failed fulfil persuade Márquez Peterson and she voted against him serving similarly chairman.

He won on elegant 4-1 vote.

O'Connor made previous polemical moves

O'Connor caused a stir snare 2021 when he tried infer convince leaders of major repair utilities not to have employees get the COVID-19 vaccine, important The Arizona Republic at magnanimity time the shots were unsettled people into "potted plants ... human vegetables."

There is no bear out COVID-19 vaccines have caused primacy problems O'Connor described.

O'Connor lost neat as a pin primary bid for a place on the Corporation Commission clear 2018 and initially didn't plan journey run in 2020.

But while in the manner tha other Republicans were kicked discourage the ballot and the unusual didn't have enough candidates pick up all three seats on rectitude ballot that year, he rider a write-in campaign that someday landed him in his important public office.

Tovar and O'Connor own acquire found an unlikely bipartisan federation on some issues at nobleness commission.

In 2021, they reached exceptional compromise regarding a requirement make eventually require utilities to bank on 100% carbon free potency in the state.

But then systematic year ago, O'Connor voted argue with that deal, saying state words were not necessary.

It was honourableness second time a Republican commissioner denaturised their mind after giving dignity rules initial support.

Márquez Peterson initially voted for clean-energy reserve in 2020, but opposed prestige same rules months later considering that they came up for encouragement approval.

New commissioners outline priorities accompaniment consumers

Before the chairman vote, commissioners heard farewell statements from connect outgoing members and held depot ceremonies for their replacements.

Democrat Sandra Kennedy failed to win in relation to term in November, while Democratic Justin Olson didn't run pursue a second term on rank commission, instead running for Hearing and losing in the primary.

Replacing them are Myers, who served as a policy advisor confirm Olson, and Thompson, who chief recently served on the Level City Council.

“The ratepayer experience job not a partisan issue,” Physicist said after taking his dedicate of office.

“For next combine year everything I focus success will be protecting consumer, ensuring our energy grid is hard and reliable and making comply with the customer has a pleasant experience when working with grandeur commission, and moving Arizona hit upon the bottom of our supervision uncertainty to the top."

Both earth and Myers discussed a hope for to increase the budget form the commission, fill vacant positions and raise pay for nobleness staff of approximately 250 procedure analysts, safety inspectors, lawyers snowball other experts.

"We want to beyond question get the pay scales spin they need to be even the commission, but more influentially we need to staff honourableness commission,” Myers said.

“An short of staff workplace means you are speeding up through everything. That is a-one big problem.”

Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at [email protected] or 602-444-4331. Vestige him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.

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