for future female journalists voices of Houston celebrates
.
>> BACK TO OUR BIG STORY.
BILL MAGNESS, THE ERCOT CEO
WILL NOT SEEK SEVERANCE PAY.
>> THE NEWS IS AS LAWMAKERS IN
AUSTIN HAVE GRILLED ERCOT FOR
NOT BEING PREPARED TO HANDLE
THE ELECTRICITY DEMANDS DURING
LAST MONTH’S WINTER STORM.
>> KPRC 2 INVESTIGATOR MARIO
DIAZ UNCOVERED THAT SOME OF
THE SAME LAWMAKERS RECEIVED
THOUSANDS OFS THERE IN
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
CONNECTED TO ERCOT’S BOARD.
>> Reporter: ONE OF TEXAS’
DEADLIEST STORMS, BILLIONS IN
DAMAGE TO HOMES AND
BUSINESSES.
>> IT IS OUT OF OUR LEAGUE.
>> Reporter: ERCOT OBSERVING
THE BLAME.
>> RIDDLED WITH RESIGNATIONS.
>> MANY OF YOU ARE ANGRY AND
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE.
>> Reporter: GOVERNOR GREG
ABBOTT JOINING THE COURSE OF
CALLS FOR CHANGE AT ERCOT AND
THE PUC.
>> I’M ANGRY TOO.
>> Reporter: CONSIDERED A
BASTION OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE
WITH A BILLION DOLLARS IN
ASSETS.
>> PROVEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
>> Reporter: BOARD MEMBERS
ENJOYING CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WITH LEADERS IN AUSTIN.
>> AS A TEXAN I RECOGNIZE THE
INCREDIBLE DEVASTATION THAT
OCCURRED TO FAMILIES.
>> Reporter: THE FORMER CHAIR
OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY
COMMISSION AND FORMER MEMBER
OF ERCOT’S BOARD HAS BEEN
CLOSE TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT FOR
YEARS.
SHE WORKED AS A SENIOR POLICY
ADVISER TO THE GOVERNOR,
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS SHOW
WALKER HAS GIVEN TO THE
CAMPAIGN OVER 15 YEARS, $7,620
IN TOTAL ON.
MONDAY, SHE RESIGNED, FACING
MOUNTING PRESSURE FROM LAW
MEMBERS.
LAURIE IS STILL A MEMBER AFTER
THE STORM, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF
THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC UTILITY
COUNCIL.
SHE’S SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT
YOUR INTERESTS.
SHE WAS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR
ABBOTT THREE MONTHS AFTER
GIVING MORE THAN A THOUSAND
DOLLARS TO HIS CAMPAIGN.
OIL AND GAS FUELS GOVERNOR
ABBOTT’S CAMPAIGN WAR CHEST.
FROM 2017 TO 2020, THE
INDUSTRY WAS HIS TOP
CONTRIBUTOR WITH MORE THAN
$16.5 MILLION.
>> SOME DONORS ARE TRYING TO
INFLUENCE POLICIES, OTHERS
WANT KEY POSITIONS BECAUSE
THEY BELIEVE IN AN INTEREST OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THE PROBLEM IS WE’VE GOT
THE FOX GUARDING THE HEN
HOUSE.
>> Reporter: WHICH BRINGS US
TO THE FIERY HEARINGS IN THE
TEXAS HOUSE LAST WEEK.
REMEMBER THE 24 LAWMAKERS
DEMANDING ANSWERS WITH THE
CAMERAS ROLLING?
23 OF THEM RECEIVED $700,000
IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TIED
TO ERCOT’S BOARD, JUST IN THE
LAST TWO YEARS!
THIS ACCORDING TO TEXANS FOR
PUBLIC JUSTICE, THE SAME
PEOPLE THEY PROMISED TO HOLD
ACCOUNTABLE.
>> I WANT NAMES AND DETAILS.
>> Reporter: TODD HUNTER WAS
THE LOUDEST VOICE AT THE
HEARING.
>> TELL US SPECIFIC GROUPS.
>> Reporter: WHAT YOU DIDN’T
RECEIVE, HUNTER RECEIVED
$8,000 IN ERCOT RELATED
CONTRIBUTIONS, AS TO THE
COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND VICE
CHAIRS, THEY RECEIVED $38,850.
>> RAISES THE PROBLEM OF
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
>> YOU HAVE THE STATE OF TEXAS
WATCHING THE HEARINGS, WHY NOT
TELL THE TAXPAYER, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
THE GUYS I’M QUESTIONING,
YEAH, I TOOK MONEY FROM THEM.
>> NOTHING WRONG WITH FULL
DISCLOSURE.
>> Reporter: THE CONTRIBUTIONS
ARE DISCLOSED BUT NEVER CAME
UP DURING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
NO ONE MENTIONED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM
CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM
ENERGY COMPANIES VISITRA AND
CENTERPOINT BEFORE QUESTIONING THE CEOs.
THE CEOs.
>> WHERE IS THE ALLEGIANCE?
>> TO THE UTILITIES AND IN
TERMS OF THE POLITICIANS IN
THE STATE OF TEXAS, TOO OFTEN
THEIR ALLEGIANCE IS TO THE
ENERGY INTERESTS TO PAY FOR
THE CAMPAIGN.
>> Reporter: THE RESEARCH FOR PARTISAN TEXANS FOR PUBLIC
PARTISAN TEXANS FOR PUBLIC
INTEREST SAYS TRANSPARENCY IS
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL.
>> FOR THEMSELVES AS MUCH FOR
THE PUBLIC.
>> Reporter: OUR ANALYSIS
FOUND 13 MEMBERS IN THE ROOM
RECEIVED CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ONE OR BOTH
COMPANIES THEY WERE PROBING.
A FINAL NOTE, GOVERNOR
ABBOTT’S APPOINTEE IS ARTHUR
DEANDREA, A SEARCH OF HIS
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
REVEALED NONE TO GOVERNOR
ABBOTT BUT THE TWO HAVE HISTORY.
DEANDREA SERVED AS GENERAL