Who Is Randall Speck?
And why did Harris McDowell turn over the job of grilling the chair of the Public Service Commission to this Washington attorney?
Senator McDowell held another of his hearings today, the purpose of which was to question PSC chair Arnetta McRae, along with executive director Bruce Burcat and the agency's top counsel. But McDowell wasted little time in turning the questioning over to Randall Speck.
So, who is Randall Speck?
Randall L. Speck is a partner in the litigation department of Kaye Scholer LLP in Washington D.C. In addition to being a high priced litigator, he's got extensive experience in energy, as this paragraph from his bio describes:
Keep in mind that Delmarva Power has a legal challenge to the process that is now docketed as Case #07A-06004THG, Delmarva Power & Light v. Delaware Public Service Commission and assigned to Judge T. Henley Graves in Georgetown. Observers found themselves wondering whether this lawyer was creating a record to be used in this case.
So, who is Randall Speck? Who hired him? Were public funds used to bring in a lawyer to grill the head of a public agency? (At least one member of McDowell's committee is trying to find out.) What clients does Speck have in the energy business? Do any of his clients have an interest in the debate on offshore wind in Delaware?
Update and correction: I was mistaken when I said Mr. Speck worked on deregulation for California. He did so for Connecticut.
Senator McDowell held another of his hearings today, the purpose of which was to question PSC chair Arnetta McRae, along with executive director Bruce Burcat and the agency's top counsel. But McDowell wasted little time in turning the questioning over to Randall Speck.
So, who is Randall Speck? Randall L. Speck is a partner in the litigation department of Kaye Scholer LLP in Washington D.C. In addition to being a high priced litigator, he's got extensive experience in energy, as this paragraph from his bio describes:
Mr. Speck acted as special counsel to the [Connecticut] DPUC to evaluate wholesale electric utility deregulation options, including the development of merchant power producers, divestiture of investor-owned generating assets, and creation of market administration mechanisms. This effort resulted in legislative proposals that ultimately led to retail deregulation in the spring of 1998.Mr. Speck questioned PSC Chair Arnetta McRae for nearly four hours, focusing on the way the Commission conducted the RFP process that led to the Power Purchase Agreement now on the table.
Keep in mind that Delmarva Power has a legal challenge to the process that is now docketed as Case #07A-06004THG, Delmarva Power & Light v. Delaware Public Service Commission and assigned to Judge T. Henley Graves in Georgetown. Observers found themselves wondering whether this lawyer was creating a record to be used in this case.
So, who is Randall Speck? Who hired him? Were public funds used to bring in a lawyer to grill the head of a public agency? (At least one member of McDowell's committee is trying to find out.) What clients does Speck have in the energy business? Do any of his clients have an interest in the debate on offshore wind in Delaware?
Update and correction: I was mistaken when I said Mr. Speck worked on deregulation for California. He did so for Connecticut.
posted by Tom Noyes at 6:17 PM
3 Comments:
I can't wait for some of these questions' answers.
But outside of the who was grilling who yesterday, what was your impression of the PSC's response? Favorable?
If this four hour Q&A is related to Case #07A-06004THG, we are seeing some of the worst actions imaginable out of Dover. WTF?
Now there is a need for hearings.
Hearings into McDowell's connection to Delmarva Power and his use of Speck in this way at the behest of Delmarva Power.
An ethics investigation is clearly in order at this point.
From what I have been told, PSC chair Arnetta McRae handled herself with poise and grace. She hasn't forgotten that she represents the public interest.
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