Utilities - or I just knew it
I knew as soon as I said I was punching out of here something would come up.
Gov. Mike Easley appointed Rep. Bill Culpepper to the North Carolina utilities commission today.
Culpepper is a powerful member of the House leadership who will have to give up his legislative seat to sit on the commission.
The Utilities commission sets rates and investigates consumer complaints, with jurisdiction over "public electric, telephone, natural gas, water and sewer companies and household goods carriers."
Culpepper has been a key figure in the General Assembly and most recently served as Rules Chairman in the House. The job is one of the most powerful in the chamber, one you could argue is only second to the Speaker's for pure clout. The rules chairman can do a lot to make sure a certain piece of legislation succeeds or fails, depending on the wishes of the chamber's leadership.
From a canned statement sent by the Speaker's office:
"I very much appreciate the confidence that has been reposed in me by Governor Easley with this appointment and I look forward to this challenging new position of public service," Rep. Culpepper said.More from the can:
"Rep. Bill Culpepper is one of the brightest members of the Legislature and has served the people of North Carolina, and especially those in Eastern North Carolina, with the highest integrity during the past 12 years," Speaker Black said. "He has been an outstanding Rules Chairman and is highly respected by members of both political parties. The Governor could not have chosen someone more qualified to serve on the Utilities Commission, but he will be sorely missed as a colleague and as a friend."
So who will be the next rules chairman? Tryptophan-induced speculation is encouraged at the comment link below.