Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Is Boyce Adams the utilities' candidate? Yep. Here's your smoking gun.

Ever since Boyce Adams entered the Northern District Public Service Commissioner's race, a lot of folks have suspected that he was a utility-backed candidate, or would at least be in the utilities' back pockets. As reported here last week, when current Commissioner Brandon Presley had harsh things to say about rate hikes and corporate greed in his kick-off speech, Adams called Presley a "bully." (Still stunned by that, by the way.) Adams then went on to say he would have voted for the largest rate hike in Mississippi history ($2,800,000,000). (Which is, most assuredly, even more stunning than calling your opponent playground names.)

So, some digging around was in order. Adams's campaign was registered with the Secretary of State as "Friends of Boyce Adams" on March 7th (six days after he qualified) and a guy named John Bowen is listed as the Director of this group of "friends." (I guess Adams might call him his "#1 friend" or one of his "three best friends that anybody could have.") (Here's a link to the Statement of Organization for Friends of Boyce Adams.)

Well, does anyone care to guess what Mr. Bowen's occupation was back before he became Adams' campaign director and #1 pal? Wait for it...wait for it...Chief Financial Officer for a regional utility company! Don't take my word for it, check this biography out on Boyce Adams' daddy's business website.

So now I guess I understand why Boyce Adams, Jr. said he would vote for the largest rate hike in Mississippi: the utilities are running his campaign.

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