Davis Is Accused of Stalling Inquiry

Five congressional Republicans accused Democratic Gov. Gray Davis on Wednesday of “stonewalling” their investigation of California’s electricity troubles, saying he failed to deliver requested documents and fully answer questions.

Given that California is seeking federal help to resolve its power problems, five members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee wrote to Davis, “The inadequacy of your response leads us to believe that you may be stonewalling the Committee’s review of the energy crisis.”

Davis fired back, accusing the congressmen of trying to embarrass him politically.

“We sent them thousands of pages of documents,” said Davis press secretary Steve Maviglio. “Many of the things they asked for, a sixth-grader on the Internet could find. Many of the things they asked for don’t exist.

“This is another one of these Republican investigations on Capitol Hill that are designed to embarrass and not solve problems,” he said.

The letter was signed by committee Chairman W.J. “Billy” Tauzin of Louisiana and Reps. Joe Barton of Texas, James Greenwood of Pennsylvania, Richard Burr of North Carolina and George Radanovich, the committee vice chairman who is from Fresno.

Last fall Tauzin’s committee held hearings on California’s electricity crisis and in November asked for documents and written responses to dozens of questions. Many related to alleged conflicts of interest by some consultants hired by the Department of Water Resources. The department took over the job of buying power for three major utilities on the verge of bankruptcy in January 2001 as blackouts threatened the state.

Last month, Davis asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to void or modify 22 of the long-term power contracts signed by the state last spring.

The state argues that it was forced to pay unjust and unreasonable prices in those contracts to ensure that the lights stayed on in California.

Tauzin demanded full responses to all questions by March 26.