OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An Administrative Law Judge decided Thursday to allow attorneys two more weeks to evaluate a formal complaint filed to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
The complaint was filed in September by Representative Tom Gann (R-Inola). It claimed that ONG’s Fuel Adjustment Clause and Prudence Review case was “tainted” and “unlawful.”
Gann filed the paperwork because of Commissioner Todd Hiett’s involvement in the case after he was accused of sexual misconduct and drunkenness in June.
The filing said “Hiett’s past and continued participation in this matter” violates state Ethics rules.
Gann was initially told the complaint would only be considered as “public comment” in upcoming hearings. That prompted Gann to go a step further and file court records Wednesday that said attorneys involved in the case would also be breaking the law if the case moved forward.
The documents said the attorneys had broken a “rule of professional conduct” for “remaining silent.”
Deputy Attorney General, Chase Snodgrass, addressed Gann’s accusations during a "hearing on the merits" of the ONG case.
"I find his comments to be defamatory and not in accordance or a correct recitation of the law," said Snodgrass. "Our team, along with contributions from this commission staff and other stakeholders in this process, have saved ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars in 2024 alone."
The Attorney General’s Office is tasked with representing the collective efforts of ratepayers.
Administrative Law Judge Carly Ortel decided to postpone any decisions Thursday and reconvene on December 5th to that attorneys from both sides could research Gann’s complaint.
Gann was one of three lawmakers who have asked the State Supreme Court to disqualify Hiett from voting on upcoming utility cases. Hiett has been under pressure to resign after the sexual misconduct allegations surfaced.
Since then, he has voted on a $31 million rate increase for ONG customers. Hiett’s alleged victim works for ONG’s parent company.
Last week, the highest court heard oral arguments in the case against Hiett but have yet to make a decision.
