Republican lawmakers file petition to disqualify Hiett from OCC cases
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Three Oklahoma Republican lawmakers have filed a petition at the Oklahoma Supreme Court, asking that Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett be disqualified from participating in upcoming cases involving three utility companies.
Reps. Kevin West (R-Moore), Tom Gann (R-Inola) and Rick West (R-Heavener) filed the petition on Friday. The document focuses on three cases involving PSO, OG&E, and ONG. Each case involves half a billion dollars.
Hiett has been under pressure to step aside since accusations surfaced that he groped a man at a conference in Minnesota in June while intoxicated. The petition has identified that man as a lawyer for ONG’s parent company.
Hiett acknowledged the accusations at a Corporation Commission meeting in August.
"I've apologized for my abuse of alcohol, begun treatment, I've stepped aside as chairman of the commission," said Hiett, during the meeting August 13, 2024.
He has refused to step down from his position and even voted on a $31 million rate increase for ONG customers on August 27, 2024.
The petition noted a second allegation against Hiett which involved sexual harassment against a Commission employee and driving drunk.
Representatives West and Gann said in a joint statement that “Hiett’s admission of public drunkenness, alleged sexual assault, alleged harassment and his alleged drunk driving should be enough for any decent individual to disqualify himself from cases at the OCC involving the victim or witnesses to his alleged crimes."
In the days after the allegations, Commissioner Kim David called for an independent investigation into the incident.
"I don't want this agency as being seen as brushing something under the rug," said David during a commissioner meeting July 31, 2024.
House Democrats also asked Governor Kevin Stitt to hold a special session to potentially impeach Hiett shortly after the accusations surfaced. A month later, House Republicans have sent a strong message to the State Supreme Court.
“Oklahoma deserves better,” said West. “The OCC is supposed to examine the utility’s fuel purchases and determine whether they were fair, just, reasonable and prudent before allowing those costs to be passed on to customers. We need commissioners who can be sound judgment and are free from bias.”
News 4 reached out to Hiett for a comment. He stated that “given the case is now pending with the court, it would be inappropriate to comment on the actions by the legislators.”
It’s unclear if the Oklahoma Supreme Court will weigh in.