Roberts: Why don't elected officials challenge APS? This explains it

Here is yet another reason why you will never see much (any?) support from Arizona’s elected officials for Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bob Burns’ quest to find out whether APS bought itself a set of utility regulators.

I used to think it was because Arizona Public Service sponsors so many community events with the proceeds it reaps from ratepayers, making it difficult to see the utility as anything but a valuable corporate partner.

I used to think it was because APS can be relied upon for campaign contributions – or perhaps more importantly, to spend whatever it takes to defeat its political enemies.

(See: the $1.3 million "dark money" campaign attacking former Corporation Commissioner Sandra Kennedy in 2014. This, after Kennedy in 2013 called on then-Commissioner Gary Pierce to recuse himself from voting on APS’s request to charge new fees on rooftop solar customers. Among other things, Kennedy said she was concerned that APS may have won Pierce’s support by raising funds for his son Justin’s 2014 secretary of state campaign. The commission enacted a solar fee and Pierce went on to enjoy a six-figure dark money campaign to support his run for the state’s No. 2 job.)

Turns out it’s both those things – and one other.

APS funds lawmakers, too

It appears APS serves as the Legislature’s go-to goodie bag when it needs something ... catered lunches, lapel pins, pricey dinner invitations.

The Arizona Daily Independent on Monday published a series of emails between state House staffers and officials with APS and/or its parent company, Pinnacle West Capital Corp.

The emails detail a cozy relationship in which House members seem to regularly call on APS for funding.

Consider this one, from an aide to Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, to APS lobbyist Chad Guzman: “Rep. Townsend informed me you have graciously offered to pay for the new lapel pins for the 53rd Legislature. Thank you!” In another email working out the payment details, the aide assures Guzman that “Rep. Townsend appreciates it greatly.”

Consider this one in February, from APS lobbyist Rod Ross to an aide for Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott: “I’m reaching out to see if I can grab a few minutes with Mr. Campbell next week. I have a couple of issues to talk to him about, including a bill that he’ll be voting on next week (2404), and an event that he has requested we provide lunch to in April (the Republican Women of Prescott Day at the Capitol). Can you let me know if I can have 15-20 minutes with him sometime next week? I could even do lunch if he’s available.”

It's not just Republicans getting cash

Consider this one in April, from Jackie Sandoval, communications director for House Democrats, to Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe: “Here is a list of lobbyist (sic) you can reach out to and ask to sponsor beverages and pastries. The list names lobbyists from the Arizona Education Association, Axiom Public Affairs (now renamed Compass Rose after one its partners was indicted along with former Commissioner Pierce in a bribery-fraud scheme), Salt River Project, Triadvocates, lobbyist Don Isaacson, and yes, Guzman of APS.

Consider this in March, from APS lobbyist Anthony Aguilar to an aide to Rep. Richard Andrade, D-Glendale, inviting him to a Chicanos Por La Causa awards banquet at the Arizona Biltmore: “You are invited to a VIP reception at 6 p.m. in Frank Lloyd Wright Salon B. Post-dinner cocktails and music will be in Salon G.”

Or this, from an aide to then-Rep. Jesus Rubalcava, D-Gila Bend, regarding the CPLC banquet: “Representative Rubalcava is pleased to accept your invitation.”

I’ll just bet he was.

Not unusual, but definitely revealing

Of course, this is the typical stuff that goes on behind the scenes at the Legislature – not just with APS, but with a variety of hungry legislators and savvy lobbyists out to curry favor and harvest votes.

But the APS handouts are especially revealing, given the ongoing question of whether the APS is pulling the strings of state regulators who recently granted the utility's request to raise your rates and boost its annual profits by $95 million.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Burns trudges on his quest to find out whether APS/Pinnacle West secretly spent $3.2 million to get Republican Commissioners Tom Forese and Doug Little elected in 2014.

This, to go with the $4.2 million APS openly spent in 2016 to elect the three other commissioners, Republicans Boyd Dunn, Andy Tobin and yes, even Burns (who was better in APS’s eyes than the Democratic alternatives).

Number of public officials who have stood with Burns in his now nearly two-year-old fight to bring some badly needed transparency to the board that sets the size of your utility bills and APS’s profits:

Well, I'm still waiting to find one.

MORE FROM ROBERTS:

APS gets the OK to raise your rates, and no one is surprised

Can Arizona's utility regulators look any worse? Yes, they can

Is the Arizona Corporation Commission corrupt?