State regulators who took donations reject recusal request

State Public Regulation Commissioners Sandy Jones and Lynda Lovejoy have declined to disqualify themselves from a case involving a major donor to their re-election campaigns.

In documents dated Monday, Jones and Lovejoy said the recusal request by the nonprofit renewable energy advocacy group New Energy Economy was premature because a PRC hearing examiner hasn’t ruled on the group’s request to intervene in the case.

El Paso Electric is seeking PRC approval to purchase a solar power farm to be built by Affordable Solar Installation of Albuquerque.

Jones has received at least $13,000 in political donations from Affordable Solar and related companies and individuals, while Lovejoy has gotten at least $4,500, according to campaign finance reports.

Jones and Lovejoy received the money after voting to overturn a PRC hearing examiner and allow Public Service Company of New Mexico to purchase five solar farms to be built by Affordable Solar.

Citing the donations and the political ties that Jones and Lovejoy have with an Affordable Solar lobbyist, New Energy Economy filed a motion for the commissioners to disqualify themselves from the El Paso Electric case because of an “obvious appearance of impropriety.”

Jones and Lovejoy said if the hearing examiner in the case permits New Energy Economy to intervene, they will then respond to the “meritless motion” for recusal. El Paso Electric is opposing intervention by New Energy Economy.

New Energy Economy, which promotes carbon-free energy development, also is seeking to have the commissioners removed from a PNM case because of $440,000 in donations by PNM’s parent company to a political action committee supporting the re-election of Jones and Lovejoy.