5 August 2022 — 1134 mdt

Another good reason to elect John Repke to the PSC

By James Conner

If you need another good reason to elect John Repke to the Montana Public Service Commission — and if you’re up to date on the PSC and your choices in District 5, you don’t — you’ll find it in Tom Lutey’s story on the fact free, fear mongering statement on blackouts that PSC commissioners Randy Pinocci and Tony O’Donnell recently released under the PSC letterhead.

Although elected to an agency that’s supposed to protect ratepayers from predatory utility monopolies, Republicans Pinocci and O’Donnell are, of course, hauling water for Northwestern Energy and the folks who would keep the aging, dirty Colstrip coal generating stations operating forever.

Their attempt to put the fear of roasting or freezing to death during electroc blackouts in the customers of Montana Dakota Utilities was kneecapped by MDU, which they apparently did not consult before issuing their not always artfully phrased statement.

Pinocci is running for re-election unopposed — unopposed because the Montana Democratic Party could not recruit anyone to just be on the ballot and in a position to call out him when he blunders and embarrasses the PSC and Montana. The MDP conceded the election, which was political malpractice.

Despite running in a Republican leaning district, Repke, a smart, honest, professional who would bring a masters degree in finance and decades of high level corporate experience to the PSC, has a decent chance of winning if he can raise enough money to get out the word that now, more than ever, the PSC needs a green eyeshade commissioner, not another right wing ideologue who industry lobbyists can sweet-talk and bamboozle into hauling their water instead of protecting the ratepayers.

Help Repke as much as you can, and then a little bit more. Send him money, knock on doors for him, spread the word high and low, wide and far. Everyone who buys energy regulated by the PSC will thank you.