Gov. Mike Pence’s chief of staff, who will lose his job when Pence leaves office on Monday, is seeking to return to the five-member state commission that oversees utilities.
Jim Atterholt confirmed Thursday he has applied for an opening on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, where he served from 2009 to 2014—the last four years as chairman.
During his previous term as chairman, Atterholt was given the job of cleaning up the commission following the messy tenure of his predecessor, David Lott Hardy.
Hardy was accused of failing to disclose several secret meetings with Duke Energy executives concerning cost overruns at the company’s Edwardsport plant and of helping the agency’s top lawyer break ethics laws. He was charged with four felony counts for official misconduct, but the charges were later dismissed.
The IURC is a powerful agency that regulates $14 billion worth of electric, natural gas, telecommunications, steam, water and sewer utilities. It approves utility projects and determines how much utilities can charge customers.
The commission has an opening due to the retirement of Chairwoman Carol Stephan, who stepped down Jan. 1 after 2-½ years.
“I have submitted my application to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Nominating Committee to fill the remainder of Carol's term,” Atterholt told IBJ in an email. “Governor-elect Holcomb will determine who will serve as chair of the commission.”
Prior to joining the IURC in 2009, Atterholt was the Indiana insurance commissioner for more than four years. He previously worked as director of government affairs for AT&T-Indiana and spent two terms as a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives
It’s unclear how much competition Atterholt will have in his bid to get his old job back. The process to fill openings on the IURC is cumbersome, with applicants required to submit letters of interest to a nominating committee, which selects candidates to interview and then recommends three finalists to the governor, who picks the winner.
The nominating committee has not yet released the names of other interested candidates.
Interestingly the article declines to mention Atterholt's sordid and unethical history at running both the Indiana Department of Insurance and also his time at IURC. Especially considering that John Russell reported on Atterholt's issue at the IURC back in a 2011 article he wrote for the Indianapolis Star! At the time both Gary Welsh and Paul Ogden both reported on Atterholt's unusually close relationship with Duke Energy. Which was the problem his predecessor David Lott Hardy had and was the reason why Hardy was forced out and Atterholt put in Hardy's place! Gary Welsh and Paul Ogden's pieces on Atterholt and the IURC can be found here and here. As for his conduct as head of the Department of Insurance Atterholt was told repeatedly by then Title Insurance Division Head Paul Ogden about various legal problems being created by a department head at the IDOI who had been put into their position by former Governor Joe Kernan. Atterholt responded by firing Ogden from his position. Longtime readers of Advance Indiana and Ogden on Politics.com will be aware of the story. But for those of you who may not have heard of it we will post links to both Mr. Ogden's accounts of his situation as reported on his blog and also a link to the asinine decision made by the Court of Appeals granting summary judgement to the Department of Insurance. If you like twisted and nonsensical judicial decisions then you will enjoy reading the Court's dismissing of Ogden's lawsuit.
If Eric Holcomb is indeed stupid enough to give Atterholt any job in his administration than he deserves to get his butt whipped if he seeks reelection in 2020! This story of Atterholt's attempt to stay on in state government is disturbing enough. But we are all scratching our heads here as to why Mr. Russell made absolutely no mention of Atterholt's past problems at IURC since he reported on them five and a half years ago! Tell us John why did you fail to mention these facts in your IBJ article last week? It is relevant information and any competent third rate hack would have put it in there article! Why didn't you? If you ever care to explain yourself we are all ears! If any of you feel so inclined you can call John Russell at his office (317) 472-5383 or ask him on twitter if you feel so inclined at www.twitter.com/JohnRussell99.
We suspect that Mr. Russell will most likely not respond or will give some lame excuse as to why he dropped the ball in reporting on Jimmy Atterholt! If and when we here anything at all about this we will let you know. From all of us here at Indy Republican until next time have a good night and God bless.
Paul Ogden's time at the Department of Insurance:
http://www.ogdenonpolitics.com/2008/12/part-i-my-days-at-department-of.html
http://www.ogdenonpolitics.com/2008/12/art-ii-my-days-at-department-of.html
http://www.ogdenonpolitics.com/2008/12/part-iii-my-days-at-department-of.html
Court of Appeals boneheaded decision on Ogden's lawsuit against the DOI:
http://www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/pdf/02211201par.pdf
To Indy Republican... Along the lines of incompetent, failed RINO "R's" seeking government employment (a/k/a often easy paychecks for failed performance), a friend tells me always corrupt but thankfully former Indy mayor Greg Ballard made a trip to Trump Tower NYC to kiss the ring of our new President.
ReplyDeleteI would thoroughly enjoy some blog reporting regarding which crony Hoosier "R" insider may have set up this meeting... and why. I believe Pence and Priebus are the reasons for several of the DJT Admin's RINO Cabinet selections (the doddering, mind-absent God-Awful carpet bagging Dan Coats leaps to mind) but who in their right brain would recommend should-be-Locked-Up Crook Greg Ballard for anything?