EDITORIAL: Public Utilities Commisar
The Public Utilities Commission would rather not have the word "public" in its name.
That much was obvious after a Monday hearing, when the government body that regulates investor-owned utilities expelled a citizen for trying to record public proceedings with a video camera.
As reported by the Review-Journal's James DeHaven, Angel DeFazio was cited by Las Vegas police for trespassing at a meeting she had every right to attend and document. Presiding Commissioner David Noble delayed for more than four hours a meeting intended to gather information on NV Energy's long-term plans, to make sure the 62-year-old Ms. DeFazio was bounced and busted.
If they can do it to her, they can do it to you for merely recording a portion of a meeting on a smartphone.
It was an outrageous abuse of Mr. Noble's authority and an assault on the state's open meeting law, which guarantees public access to public business.
The trespassing charge against Ms. DeFazio should be dismissed, and the thin-skinned, heavy-handed Mr. Noble should resign his position on the commission.
