PHOENIX – As reported in the Arizona Republic, a public records request has revealed that Lon Huber, one of the top consultants for the Arizona Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO), has been working in conjunction with Arizona Public Service (APS) on a rate case that will affect consumers’ choices and electricity prices. RUCO is an agency that is supposed to be fighting on behalf of residential utility customers for fair rates.
“We’ve seen APS pour millions of dollars into buying the last election cycle. We know there have been hidden text messages between certain Commissioners and APS campaign operatives. And now we have learned that the agency supposedly working on behalf of consumers has also been secretly coordinating with APS. Where does the corruption and collusion end?” asked Tom Chabin, candidate for the Arizona Corporation Commission. “Since we’ve launched our campaign, Bill Mundell and I have said our number one priority is to protect Arizona’s consumers. This just underscores the importance of our mission.”
“The fact that RUCO has been secretly collaborating with only APS during an ongoing rate discussion is astonishing,” added Bill Mundell, a former Corporation Commissioner who is now running again for a seat on the Commission. “In one of the text messages, Huber tells an APS employee they need to manipulate a vote to influence an upcoming value study. This is coming from the guy who is supposed to be protecting consumers! Is it any wonder the FBI is investigating the Commission and APS? These people can no longer be trusted to protect consumer interests. We need to clean up the Commission in this year’s election.”
