Bombshell: Court orders PURA to produce any documents related to op-ed published under Needleman and Steinberg’s names. 15 days to comply.

Superior Court Judge Matthew J. Budzik ruled Wednesday that the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) must produce all documents “within its possession and control…that concern the drafting or authorship of the December 19, 2024 op-ed.” That’s the controversial pungent opinion piece that appeared in the CT Mirror and purported to be written by Senator Norm Needleman and Representative Jonathan Steinberg.

The op-ed alleged that Eversource, the state’s largest utility, had connived to have financial ratings agencies downgrade its rating as proof PURA was damaging Eversource’s ability to do business in Connecticut. The op-ed also criticized the media coverage of the complex issues of energy generation, distribution, and regulation in Connecticut. The criticism appeared to be aimed at the state’s leading reporter on energy issues, The Courant’s Ed Mahony.

Questions about the authorship of the op-ed began to be posed upon its publication. It sounded like it was a page out of PURA chair Marissa Gillett’s manual on how to criticize utilities.

PURA has 15 days to comply with Judge Budzik’s order. If the plaintiff utilities are not satisfied with what PURA turns over, it has 30 days from today to seek additional discovery in the contentious case over how PURA has been conducting its business.

As to the op-ed itself, Judge Budzik concludes, “the court has reviewed the December 19, 2024 op-ed appearing in the Connecticut Mirror that is the basis of CNG ‘s and SCG’s allegations. The Court concludes that a disinterested observer could conclude that the author of the op-ed in question could have in some measure adjudged the facts of CNG’s and SCG’s applications before hearing the case, which is to say, prejudged whether the requested rate increases [before PURA] were appropriate.”

It is an extraordinary development in the ongoing drama of the high cost of power in Connecticut.

Gillett, it should be noted, has stated under oath she had nothing to do with the incendiary opinion piece. Needleman and Steinberg have insisted they are its authors.

Updates as they occur–and they will.

Published April 16, 2025.