PUC CHIEF IS GRILLED ABOUT POT, NOT POWER

A Senate Panel Targets Ron Eachus' College Days During A Hearing On His
Reappointment

SALEM - Oregon's top utility regulator came under fire at a reappointment
hearing Wednesday - not about energy issues but about his 1960s college
days, marijuana smoking and involvement in anti-war protests.

Ron Eachus, chairman of the state Public Utility Commission, faces a vote
today in the conservative Oregon Senate that could end his tenure as the
commission's most experienced member.

Eachus, a Democrat renominated by Gov. John Kitzhaber, has been skeptical
of energy deregulation plans by Enron Corp. and tough on phone provider US
West for chronic service problems.

But the focus of questioning at the Senate Executive Appointments Committee
meeting was on the politics of an entirely different era.

The committee's chairman, Sen. Randy Miller, R-Lake Oswego, grilled Eachus
about a trip to Hanoi in the late 1960s to protest U.S. engagement in
Vietnam. He also wanted to know whether Eachus smoked marijuana while at
the University of Oregon.

After a tense exchange - Eachus defended his stance on Vietnam and admitted
smoking marijuana in college - the committee voted to send Eachus'
reappointment to the full Senate without recommendation.

Miller said he asked about Vietnam and drugs because he had received
letters from several people asking him to do so. He would not disclose who
wrote the letters.

Eachus is a former Democratic legislator whose trip to Hanoi as a student
was well-known. Still, the issue was raised in February by Miller and other
Republicans, who control the Senate 20-10.

Eachus states his case

In his testimony Wednesday, Eachus tried to clarify his position.

"Intentionally or not, my previous anti-Vietnam War activities were raised
as an issue in a manner that appeared to question my character," he said.

"One is always on shaky ground discussing one's own character, but I have
never hidden my anti-war activities, nor have I hidden from them. What I
did, I did out of conscience and sincere beliefs that what was happening
was bad for our nation."

When quizzed further about his anti-war activities, Eachus said, "I don't
believe what I did 30 years ago is relevant."

Miller countered that war veterans who had contacted his Senate office
thought otherwise.

"I received calls from people who believed it was inappropriate," Miller said.

Miller also wanted to know whether Eachus had ever done anything illegal.
Eachus said he had exceeded the speed limit a time or two.

What about drugs? Miller asked.

Yes, Eachus said, his voice growing angry.

"I was a student at University of Oregon between 1965 and 1970," he said.
"If I told you I did not, you probably wouldn't believe me anyway."

Eachus said he has not smoked marijuana for a long time.

At one point, Sen. Randy Leonard, D-Portland, objected that the questions
were offensive.

"I'm having a hard time sitting here listening to this," Leonard said.
"This is the United States of America. If he was a student activist 30
years ago, well ... who wasn't?"

If Eachus is voted down in the Senate today, he could lose his job. But
even with the opposition of some Republicans, the governor's chief of
staff, Bill Wyatt, said the nomination should go through.

"We have reason to feel fairly confident of the ultimate results," said
Wyatt, who met with key Republicans on Wednesday in search of votes.

Kitzhaber considers Eachus' reappointment critical to the continued
restructuring of the electricity industry, Wyatt said.

Even Miller, by the end of the day, said he might vote in favor of
reappointment.

"It's possible," said Miller, who said he appreciated the direct, honest
way Eachus answered his questions. "I might support him."

Miller emphasized that the committee's main concern was with Eachus' job
performance and his ability to oversee the utility industry. The
three-member PUC is charged with ensuring that utility customers receive
safe, reliable service at reasonable rates. Eachus has been on the panel
for 10 years.

Miller targets 'enemy' comment The PUC recently has trained its regulatory
eye on US West, demanding service improvements and threatening millions of
dollars in fines.

Miller said he received no direct opposition from US West about Eachus'
nomination, but Miller referred to a radio talk show on which Eachus
referred to US West as "the enemy."

"No regulator should see the regulated as the enemy," Miller said.

Eachus said his comments, made in jest, were taken out of context.

Neither is he "out to get" US West, as some Republicans suggested, Eachus said.

Several representatives from utilities were at the hearing, but none from
US West.

Denise McPhail, a lobbyist for Portland General Electric, said her company
supports Eachus' reappointment despite an edgy relationship.

"We disagree strongly at times," she said. But "he's honorable and
knowledgeable ... and we want restructuring to move forward."

Enron Corp. is PGE's parent corporation and has proposed allowing the
utility's 667,000 customers to choose their electricity suppliers in a
deregulated market. Consumer groups and other power companies have
criticized the plan, saying there is no guarantee that rates would be lower.

McPhail said she isn't concerned about Eachus' past use of marijuana.

"If he were doing opinions on utilities and tokin', that might be something
different," she said.

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