Cantwell victorious in fight with Enron
This is why we need Senator Maria Cantwell representing us in the U.S. Senate:
Would Slade Gorton have taken on Enron and fought tirelessly for consumers? Would Mike McGavick? Most certainly not.
(However, we wonder how long it will be before McGavick tries to take credit for this victory. Like many Republicans, McGavick wants everything both ways).
Very few Republicans ever bother to show any real concern for protecting consumers. They can't govern, either. Republican policies - the conservative agenda - have failed our country. That's why it's so important that we have Democrats in the U.S. Senate who do care about standing up for all of us. Leaders like Maria Cantwell.
Snohomish County electricity users got a hard-won break Wednesday when a federal agency excused their utility from paying millions in contract penalties to bankrupt energy giant Enron Corp.As P-I reporter Dan Richman noted, today's victory would not have been possible without the hard work put in by Sen. Cantwell:
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission determined that Snohomish County Public Utility District need not pay termination fees on a contract it broke with Enron, because Enron used financial fraud to induce the utility to enter the contract.
With interest, the penalty could have topped $120 million. The average customer could have been stuck with a bill for $400 to satisfy the penalties, said U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who has worked alongside the Everett-based PUD for several years to achieve this outcome.
FERC's actions Wednesday were enabled by legislation pushed through by Cantwell.Chalk up another win for Senator Cantwell, who in her first term has achieved some incredible victories despite Republican control of Congress. (Last year's triumph over pro-drilling forces comes to mind as perhaps the most amazing).
The so-called Cantwell Amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave the commission -- and not the federal court still overseeing Enron's bankruptcy -- the authority to determine whether the Snohomish PUD was required to pay contract-termination fees with numerous utilities.
All this time, Snohomish County ratepayers have had a big $120 million bill hanging over their head," Cantwell said in a teleconference late Wednesday. "To finally get relief, it's a great victory."
Would Slade Gorton have taken on Enron and fought tirelessly for consumers? Would Mike McGavick? Most certainly not.
(However, we wonder how long it will be before McGavick tries to take credit for this victory. Like many Republicans, McGavick wants everything both ways).
Very few Republicans ever bother to show any real concern for protecting consumers. They can't govern, either. Republican policies - the conservative agenda - have failed our country. That's why it's so important that we have Democrats in the U.S. Senate who do care about standing up for all of us. Leaders like Maria Cantwell.
