How crooked and evil do you have to be before you actually begin to acknowledge and take pride in your own underhanded, immoral deeds? This would be a good question to ask PATH and their fleet of attorneys this week as the battle over discovery between PATH and West Virginia intervenor Ali Haverty heats up.
Ali filed a discovery request seeking detail of payments made by PATH in 2009 and categorized under the following accounts in FERC's Uniform System of Accounts:
426.1 Donations. This account shall include all payments or donations for charitable, social or community welfare purposes.
Most corporations are proud of their good deeds and are only too happy to share them as a source of pride!
426.4 Expenditures for certain civic, political and related activities. This account shall include expenditures for the purpose of influencing public opinion with respect to the election or appointment of public officials, referenda, legislation, or ordinances (either with respect to the possible adoption of new referenda, legislation or ordinances or repeal or modification of existing referenda, legislation or ordinances) or approval, modification, or revocation of franchises; or for the purpose of influencing the decisions of public officials, but shall not include such expenditures which are directly related to appearances before regulatory or other governmental bodies in connection with the reporting utility's existing or proposed operations.
Lots of words up there when just one would do --
BRIBE, aka, buy off, pay off, suborn, grease someone's palm, fix, square, inducement, incentive, payola, payoff, kickback, boodle or sweetener. Just because this account exists in FERC's USoA doesn't mean it is applicable to and an appropriate expenditure of ratepayer money on a project such as PATH. Indeed, if this account contains questionable payments it would mean that the ratepayers are paying PATH to distribute the right bribes to get their project approved. Do any of you ratepayers want to volunteer to have your pocket picked for this expense? It's all just one big gravy train for the utilities and they never thought they'd be questioned. FERC certainly doesn't ask questions unless someone complains.
PATH's attorney objected to this request. Ali was forced to file a motion to compel, which calls into question the character of PATH and whether or not they should be granted public utility status in West Virginia, a state already fraught with political corruption and bribery on the part of out-of-state corporations who are raping and pillaging our state and its residents in pursuit of outrageous profits. Jackson Kelly's Melick filed this response, claiming that PATH's character should not be a determining factor by the PSC, although the PSC shall determine whether the project will be in the best interests of West Virginia's customers and citizens. Is granting the power of eminent domain to a company who is busy using the ratepayers' money for bribes to get their project approved really a good idea? Certainly not in West Virginia, whose history is rich with corruption by businesses and politicians! What I found very amusing here is that Melick doesn't try to deny that PATH is a shady entity who may be bribing public officials! So, there you have it, from the fingertips of PATH's own counsel. They're not of good character when it comes to the question of using ratepayer money for "certain civic and political activities" and "donations" used to grease the wheels for approval of PATH.
Since Melick accused Ali of not providing any examples, today she filed this Addendum to Motion to Compel. Looks like she's giving Melick a run for his money! (Or, wait, that's probably OUR money, too!)
The horse has already escaped, fellas, quit banging the barn door shut! The public knows what you are doing with your "donations" and "contributions" and the more you protest to keep them hidden, the worse you look. Thanks for helping us convince the public of just how shady the PATH companies are!
Once again, it's all about the profit and not about any imagined "need"!
Ali filed a discovery request seeking detail of payments made by PATH in 2009 and categorized under the following accounts in FERC's Uniform System of Accounts:
426.1 Donations. This account shall include all payments or donations for charitable, social or community welfare purposes.
Most corporations are proud of their good deeds and are only too happy to share them as a source of pride!
426.4 Expenditures for certain civic, political and related activities. This account shall include expenditures for the purpose of influencing public opinion with respect to the election or appointment of public officials, referenda, legislation, or ordinances (either with respect to the possible adoption of new referenda, legislation or ordinances or repeal or modification of existing referenda, legislation or ordinances) or approval, modification, or revocation of franchises; or for the purpose of influencing the decisions of public officials, but shall not include such expenditures which are directly related to appearances before regulatory or other governmental bodies in connection with the reporting utility's existing or proposed operations.
Lots of words up there when just one would do --
BRIBE, aka, buy off, pay off, suborn, grease someone's palm, fix, square, inducement, incentive, payola, payoff, kickback, boodle or sweetener. Just because this account exists in FERC's USoA doesn't mean it is applicable to and an appropriate expenditure of ratepayer money on a project such as PATH. Indeed, if this account contains questionable payments it would mean that the ratepayers are paying PATH to distribute the right bribes to get their project approved. Do any of you ratepayers want to volunteer to have your pocket picked for this expense? It's all just one big gravy train for the utilities and they never thought they'd be questioned. FERC certainly doesn't ask questions unless someone complains.
PATH's attorney objected to this request. Ali was forced to file a motion to compel, which calls into question the character of PATH and whether or not they should be granted public utility status in West Virginia, a state already fraught with political corruption and bribery on the part of out-of-state corporations who are raping and pillaging our state and its residents in pursuit of outrageous profits. Jackson Kelly's Melick filed this response, claiming that PATH's character should not be a determining factor by the PSC, although the PSC shall determine whether the project will be in the best interests of West Virginia's customers and citizens. Is granting the power of eminent domain to a company who is busy using the ratepayers' money for bribes to get their project approved really a good idea? Certainly not in West Virginia, whose history is rich with corruption by businesses and politicians! What I found very amusing here is that Melick doesn't try to deny that PATH is a shady entity who may be bribing public officials! So, there you have it, from the fingertips of PATH's own counsel. They're not of good character when it comes to the question of using ratepayer money for "certain civic and political activities" and "donations" used to grease the wheels for approval of PATH.
Since Melick accused Ali of not providing any examples, today she filed this Addendum to Motion to Compel. Looks like she's giving Melick a run for his money! (Or, wait, that's probably OUR money, too!)
The horse has already escaped, fellas, quit banging the barn door shut! The public knows what you are doing with your "donations" and "contributions" and the more you protest to keep them hidden, the worse you look. Thanks for helping us convince the public of just how shady the PATH companies are!
Once again, it's all about the profit and not about any imagined "need"!
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