Sue Mara
Enron Corp.
Tel: (415) 782-7802
Fax:(415) 782-7854
----- Forwarded by Susan J Mara/NA/Enron on 03/29/2001 03:54 PM -----

	"Beiser, Megan" <Megan.Beiser@edelman.com>
	03/29/2001 01:49 PM
		 
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		 cc: 
		 Subject: Energy Crisis Press Conferences at the Capitol: CAUSE and Assem.  
Republicans file suit against Gov. Davis et al


> Assembly Republicans, led by Assemblymember Tony Strickland, held a press
> conference this morning to announce the filing of a lawsuit against
> Governor Davis, State Controller Kathleen Connell, the Department of Water
> Resources (DWR), and DWR Director Thomas Hannigan. 
> 
> This event was heavily attended by local media: mainly television and
> radio, with some print reporters.
> 
> Assembly Republicans present were:
> Assem. Phil Wyman
> Assem. Dennis Mountjoy
> Assem. Dave Cogdill
> Assem. Keith Richman
> Assem. John Campbell.
> 
> Also present was:
> Chuck Bell, attorney at law, representing Assembly Republicans in the suit
> to obtain the state's energy purchase information.
> 
> Strickland distributed copies of letters sent to the Department of General
> Services, DWR, State Controller Kathleen Connell and the Department of
> Finance in the last month.  These letters were signed by several Assembly
> Republicans, including the newly chosen minority leader Dave Cox, and
> requested the immediate release of all invoices and purchase records on
> energy purchases made by DWR.   These letters also requested full
> disclosure of details of the long-term energy contracts signed by the
> Governor.  Also included in this packet were documents filed on behalf of
> Assembly Republicans in the Superior Court of San Diego in their suit.
> 
> Strickland began his press conference by saying there was a "new band:
> Governor Davis and the merchant generators."  He added, "on February 16,
> the Governor said he could solve this problem in 20 minutes by raising
> rates; rates have risen and the problem is not solved."  
> 
> Referring to a similar suit by members of the media also filed in San
> Diego Superior Court, Strickland said, "the Republicans and the press are
> demanding this information to protect them from the merchant generators."
> He added, "we had no choice but to legally compel [the Governor] to
> release this vital information."
> 
> Assem. Phil Wyman said, "it is not a happy occasion when members of the
> Legislature have to join with the Association of Broadcasters to get basic
> information."  Wyman added that he doesn't have enough information to
> support certain bills because he doesn't know if there is money available.
> 
> On the subject of Tuesday's decision by the PUC to allow a rate increase,
> Assem. Mountjoy said he believes the Governor and the PUC are completely
> connected adding, "this is the Governor's PUC; he pulls the strings
> there."
> 
> "This rate increase will impact all Californians," said Assem. Keith
> Richman. "We will all have to pay for the Governor and the Governor's
> PUC's lack of action last fall," when, Richman said, the Republicans
> requested a special session to deal with the energy issue.
> 
> Assem. John Campbell said he was concerned about "making votes in a
> vacuum," adding that it was like "asking [members of the Legislature] to
> drive down a dark tunnel with the lights off--you're gonna crash."
> 
> When asked who is paying for this lawsuit, Assem. Strickland said,
> "constituents in [his] district" were paying the legal bills.
> 
> Attorney Chuck Bell said members of the media filed their suit last week
> and were given a May 18 hearing date.  Bell said, "we feel that is too far
> away," and that they were seeking a hearing early next week
> 
> When asked if the plaintiffs would be satisfied with a redacted version of
> the information being requested, Bell responded that "AB 1X states...that
> full disclosure is required within 7 days."  However, Bell added that they
> were "waiting for the judge's decision as to what the appropriate amount
> of redaction would be."  Bell said that the group was confident that case
> law was in their favor.
> 
> Bell said that Connell was named in the suit because "she is in possession
> of the records we are requesting."  He also added that the reason for
> filing the suit in San Diego Superior Court was because he believed it
> would be "expeditious and useful to file in the same court" as the lawsuit
> filed by members of the media. 
> 
> ********************************************
> The CAUSE (Campaign Against Utility Service Exploitation) rally was not
> well attended by local media or the public. However, the Associated Press
> did send both a reporter and photographer.
> 
> CAUSE is being coordinated by Burt Wilson, a veteran of several consumer
> activist coalitions.  Wilson was the only CAUSE member to attended the
> rally.  CAUSE is encouraging customers of the three investor-owned
> utilities to dispute the accuracy of their electricity bills by sending
> the bills to the PUC with a request for a hearing.  Wilson said the
> utilities cannot disconnect service if the correct procedure is followed
> for filing this request.
> 
> CAUSE's campaign is internet based.  Wilson said "we had 150 members when
> I checked at 8 a.m. today."  The website, www.utilityratefighters.com,
> contains forms people can use to request a hearing to dispute the accuracy
> of their bills from PG&E, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas
> and Electric.
> 
> Megan Beiser
> Assistant Account Executive
> Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, Sacramento
> Phone: (916) 442-2331
> Fax: (916) 447-8509
>