AUGUSTA (AP) — Gov. Paul LePage’s pick for chief advocate for utility customers has received a key legislative committee’s unanimous support.
The Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology committee voted on Tuesday to recommend long-time Democrat Barry Hobbins, following supportive testimony from Republican and Democratic leaders.
The next step is Senate confirmation.
The Associated Press reported that Hobbins has long ties with the telecommunications industry, including political contributions and a stint lobbying for AT&T.
Lawmakers on Tuesday asked Hobbins about whether he feels beholden to special interests or donors.
Hobbins said he’s complied with the law and wants to move forward by advocating for utility customers using his blend of legal, political and policy know-how.
Hobbins said he won’t inject himself into solar legislation that Public Advocate Tim Schneider has taken a position on.
Barry Hobbins
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.