Breaking: Dann to seek PUCO majority’s removal?
Email from Gongwer today, forwarded by a friend (no free link available):
DANN SUIT TO SEEK REMOVAL OF THREE PUCO MEMBERS
Attorney General Marc Dann is poised to take legal action that would essentially remove three members of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio from office and has said the recent appointment of a fourth member is “invalid and void.â€
Mr. Dann will take the action given concerns he has with the way the commissioners’ names were forwarded to former Governor Bob Taft for consideration. More specifically, he said the PUCO’s Nominating Council violated law when it voted in private to forward names to the former governor for consideration.
Mr. Dann said he will file a writ essentially invalidating the appointments of Chairman Alan Schriber and commissioners Ronda Hartman Fergus and Valerie Lemmie. Mr. Dann also said the recent appointment of Paul Centolella is invalid. He did not seek the resignation of Commissioner Judy Jones, whose term expires in the coming days.
More details in today’s Gongwer News Service Ohio Report.
Late April Fool prank? If not, wow.
Update: More from PD OPENERS…
Four of five seats on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio could be up for grabs because the state’s attorney general says the method used to fill them violated the state’s open meetings law.
But while Gov. Ted Strickland could get the chance to reshape the commission made up of appointees of former Gov. Bob Taft, he likely won’t.
“The nominating process will start over, but we would be inclined to reappoint the current board members,” said Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey.
Attorney General Marc Dann wants the PUCO’s nominating council to vote again on recommendations it sent to Strickland in February. Based on those recommendations, Strickland appointed economist Paul Centolella to fill an opening that will occur later this month.
Dann also said he will seek a court order forcing the removal of three current members of the commission — Chairman Alan Schriber, Ronda Hartman Fergus and Valerie Lemmie — because their appointments were tainted by secret votes conducted by the nominating council.