Latest Accountability Releases

Governor Brown and legislative leaders announced a series of agreed-upon reforms to target the corruption that's haunted the Public Utilities Comission during the Brown-era and immediately prior to it. 
 

California public officals are not allowed to participate in decisions in their public office when they have an financial interest in the outcome. Evidence uncovered in wake of the PUC public corruption scandal fingers Governor's Brown top aide, Nancy McFadden, for doing just that.

Consumer Watchdog has raised concerns that refunds owed ratepayers of Los Angeles DWP, many of whom have already made overpayments, will not be delivered for one year and a half under the best case scenario, while plaintiff attorneys will get paid $13 million in May.

Consumer Watchdog's problems with the settlement include the need for immediate refunds, no more threats of disconnections, no requirements for deposits for people who owe back bills, and the need for an impartial standard for whether ratepayers get paid, not whether DWP says so or not.

Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle for the third time failed to grant preliminary approval to an overbilling settlement with DWP ratepayers, calling for more disclosure and pro-consumer changes.  He said he would grant preliminary approval if those conditions are met.

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog and overbilled ratepayers today urged Los Angeles City leaders to immediately fix or withdraw a “breathtakingly anti-consumer settlement agreement” over tens of millions of dollars in overbilling at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).

Randy Paige reports on how Consumer Watchdog and ratepayers today urged L.A. city leaders to fix or withdraw what they call a bad settlement over millions in overbilling by the LADWP.

As government scrutiny intensifies on ExxonMobil, the company is apparently getting out of the state. Exxon  is reportedly selling its hobbled Torrance refinery in the wake of an investigation into management's responsiblity for an explosion Feb.18 that endangered workers and the community.

Rabble rousers demand FTC, DoJ into Music service

A pressure group in America has urged US watchdog the FTC and Uncle Sam's Department of Justice to probe Apple Music for signs of antitrust violations.

Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) has joined in the calls for a federal investigation of the business practices of Apple Music.

Given the way Washington has run away with itself, it’s no surprise that “crony capitalism” has risen to the top of the agenda for some politicians on the political left as well as the political right.

The federal government has become a virtual one-stop shop for corporations more interested in gaming the system and capturing regulations than they are in making a clean profit and an honest living.

Listen to or download the audio of this radio broadcast segment here.

Somebody's listening.

Consumer Watchdog is telling the White House that its cozy relationship with Google is inappropriate, given ongoing reviews by both the FTC and the Department of Justice.