AP

Posted on Thu, Feb. 22, 2007

Vote would let utilities donate to political candidates
DOUG GROSS
Associated Press

ATLANTA - Members of a Senate ethics panel voted Thursday to let utility companies regulated by the state donate money to their own political campaigns and those of their colleagues.

The vote would strike down a current state law that bans representatives of natural gas, telephone and electric companies from giving to any political campaign. They would still be barred from giving to races for the Public Service Commission - the board that oversees the utilities and sometimes sets the rates they may charge consumers.

But critics of the plan argued that the bill still would give companies that provide services needed by almost all Georgians too much sway over the state laws that govern them.

"It would give already powerful and influential utility companies another leg up on Georgia rate payers," said Will Phillips, spokesman for the AARP's Georgia branch.

Sen. Cecil Staton, R-Macon, the plan's sponsor, called it an issue of fairness, saying utilities are the only industry in Georgia banned from paying into political campaigns.

"It would treat them like other corporations in Georgia," Staton said. "Their employees would be able to make their voices heard."

He said individuals connected with utility companies already can make contributions and that allowing employees to form political action committees would make it more clear where candidates are getting their money.

"This bill, in my opinion, would make campaign contributions more transparent, not less," Staton said.

Critics argue that utilities shouldn't be treated like other companies because they are granted monopolies and other special privileges in exchange for being regulated by the state. They say the companies already have lobbyists paid to seek to influence lawmakers.

Jennifer Owens, of The League of Women Voters of Georgia, said the state has been cited by national good government groups for its tough finance law.

To strike it from the books would mean "more special interest money will be filling the pockets of Georgia's elected officials," she said.

An original version of Staton's bill also would have reduced the penalty for utilities that try to give money to Public Service Commission candidates from a felony to a misdemeanor. The Senate Ethics Committee struck that provision from the bill.

Representatives of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and several regulated utility companies spoke in favor of the bill. Chamber spokesman Joseph Fleming said current law "disenfranchises many of our corporate players and their employees."

The bill passed the committee on a 5-2 vote after holding no public discussion and with only one member asking a brief question of Staton.

But one of those two "no" votes could spell trouble for the plan's future. Senate President pro-tem Eric Johnson, R-Savannah, broke with four other GOP members of the Republican-controlled panel to vote against the plan.

As arguably the Senate's most influential member, Johnson is part of discussions on which bills make it to the floor of the chamber for a vote.

"Sen. Johnson feels that the system works fine the way that it's currently set up," said Marshall Guest, a spokesman for Johnson, who left immediately after the vote.

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