Miller Appointment Triggers Utilities War of Words
Speaker designate Wendell Lady named Reps. Robert H. Miller and James D. Braden as chairs of the House Energy and Natural Resources and Assessment and Taxation committees. The move drew pressure from inside and outside the legislature, with utilities alarmed by Miller’s past anti-utility stance. Lady defended the pick as not ominous, ordering meetings with lobbyists and signaling Miller will be fair and open to their views despite his history of distancing from lobbyists.