TX HD 61: Rep. Phil King Asked Electric Industry To Have Its Lobbyists Push His Bills

As if admitting to illegally taking Super Bowl tickets from a lobbyist wasn’t enough, the hits keep on coming for State Rep. Phil King (R-Waxahachie).

This time, a memo has surfaced noting that King asked leaders in the electric utility industry to get its lobbyists to help push his bills. Via the Dallas Morning News:

A memo written by the head of an electricity lobby group offers one more example of ties between Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, and the power industry. The memo was sent last April, when lawmakers were arguing about how to cut soaring electricity prices and whether to fear the buyout of TXU Corp. by private equity investors.
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The bills proposed by Mr. King, chairman of the House Regulated Industries committee, would have limited the market share of major power companies, particularly TXU.

Mr. Fainter sent a memo to board members of his group relaying Mr. King’s request.

“Chairman King has requested that all AECT member companies have their lobby work the membership in support of his position,” the memo states.

Mr. King was also worried that a separate bill – which would have given the Public Utility Commission authority to block the huge TXU buyout deal – would get attached to his own bills. He asked Mr. Fainter to help prevent that.

This should come as no surprise to anyone. King isn’t just close to the utilities, he’s beholden to them. A lobbyist for CenterPoint Energy last week held a high-dollar fundraiser for King at his Houston mansion.

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