Oklahoma lawmakers appeal OG&E rate increase

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Three Oklahoma Republican lawmakers are challenging a $127 million OG&E rate increase that was previously approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

State Representatives Tom Gann (R-Inola), Kevin West (R-Moore), and Rick West (R-Heavener) challenged the increase because it had been approved partly due to a "yes" vote from embattled Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett.

On Friday, the three lawmakers announced that they are taking their case to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, after losing their initial challenge accusing Hiett of violating Oklahoma's ethics rules.

While Hiett has not been charged with a crime, he has faced pressure to resign over accusations of sexual misconduct and drunkenness. The alleged victim works for a major utility company.

It's currently unclear if the Oklahoma Supreme Court will hear this appeal.

The Gann, West, and West released the following joint statement addressing the appeal on Friday.

Less than two weeks ago, on December 9, the Oklahoma Supreme Court denied our petition seeking to prohibit Todd Hiett from hearing Oklahoma Corporation Commission cases involving the victims/witnesses of his alleged crimes. But we were encouraged by comments in the justices’ written opinions."

Two days later, in response to comments from Justice Dana Kuehn, Gann sent the Oklahoma Ethics Commission a six-page supplement to his original Sept. 10 complaint filed against Commissioner Hiett. It documents with 250 pages of exhibits more than 15 additional occasions of Hiett allegedly violating State Ethics Rule 4.7 since the original complaint was filed. Ethics Rule 4.7 prohibits state officers from participating in matters in which their impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

Today, in response to comments from Justice Douglas L. Combs made on December 9, we have filed an appeal at the Oklahoma Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s recent order granting Oklahoma Gas and Electric a $127 million rate increase. Hiett cast the deciding vote in that case, even though we believe state ethics rules say he should not have participated. OG&E employs attorneys who hosted a party on June 21, 2023, where Hiett is alleged to have committed multiple criminal acts, including drunk driving, sexual harassment and indecent exposure.

In this appeal, we also are challenging the OCC’s one-page audits of the utilities' 2021 Winter Storm bonds. Although all three of us voted against the securitization legislation in April 2021, we do not believe the law allows the Corporation Commission to invent its own definition of the word 'audit,' or meant for the utilities to audit themselves. The Oklahoma Accountancy Act provides auditing standards for a reason.

Our pursuit of justice and transparency and respect for the law and the Constitution on behalf of Oklahoma utility ratepayers continues.

State Representatives Tom Gann (R-Inola), Kevin West (R-Moore), and Rick West (R-Heavener)