Campaign finance records show link between Entergy and Public Service Commission director

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A search of campaign finance records shows Entergy officials supported a Chief Justice candidate with ties to the Public Service Commission (PSC) after she had lost her political race.

Justice Barbara Webb ran for Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court but lost her race in the March 5 primary. Webb continues to retain her role as a justice on the court, with a term ending in 2028.

According to Secretary of State records, one month after her primary defeat, Webb received $8,500 in campaign contributions from 11 Entergy executives, both in and out of state, ranging from $500 to $1,000. Records show the executives did not donate to any other political campaign in Arkansas, although several donated to an Entergy Political Action Committee.

Records show the Barbara Webb campaign received $189,775 in contributions, including $19,650 from political action committees and $165,825 from individuals, such as the contributions from Entergy executives. The campaign reported a total of $239,775 in expenses.

Barbara Webb is the wife of Doyle Webb, who was appointed as director of the PSC by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders after she took office in January 2023. Doyle Webb is also listed as chair of the Barbara Webb for Chief Justice campaign.

The PSC regulates utilities such as Entergy as one of its duties. As part of that regulation, the PSC accepted a previously rejected offer from Entergy to resolve the costs of the Grand Gulf nuclear power station in Mississippi, a political hotspot dating back to 1980.

In August 2022, when the PSC was chaired by Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointee Ted Thomas, it rejected Entergy's $142 million Grand Gulf settlement offer, calling it a “lowball.” Mississippi and Louisiana were also offered settlement amounts of $300 million and $211 million, respectively, with the Louisiana settlement shared between the state and the city of New Orleans.

Thomas resigned as PSC chair before Sanders took office, citing frustration with the state's implementation of solar power.

In November 2023, the PSC and Entergy announced a settlement in the Grand Gulf dispute for $142 million, the previously rejected amount.

No explanation was given as to why the PSC accepted the previously rejected amount.

In August, Entergy customers in Arkansas received a rebate on their bills, ranging from $78 for residential users to $12,158 for large general service customers.

According to Saline County Justice of the Peace-elect Stephanie Johnson, the state's ethics commission is investigating potential conflict in the campaign and settlement.

Johnson submitted a complaint to the commission on July 9, outlining the potential conflicts, forwarding a copy of a letter on ethics commission letterhead stating that “an investigation is being commenced” and signed by commission director Graham Sloan.

Sloan said Aug. 9 that by statute, he could not confirm or deny that an investigation was underway.

Doyle Webb has been a long-time player in Republican party politics, including as general counsel for the Republican National Committee from 2017 to 2021 and chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas for 12 years.

KARK 4 News reached out to Doyle Webb for a response but had not received one as this article was published. If a response is received, this article will be updated.

from KARK https://ift.tt/79ZgtMA