An Open Letter To Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis

A "celebration" tonight at the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge

To:  Commissioner Davante Lewis
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Baton Rouge

Commissioner Lewis,

The Conservative people of your District 3 send this letter to you on the occasion of the celebration tonight in the Old State Capitol of your recent election to the Public Service Commission.

You have declared your election a “win for the people.” But we write with many questions about this win, central among them: Who indeed will benefit from your seat on the commission?

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You have self-described as “Entergy’s worst nightmare.” Considering your role as a regulator of the energy industry, we wonder how it serves the public that you have established yourself as a “nightmare” to the people who supply our energy. Is this a responsible, mature, adult-like tone to take with the industry you regulate, holding the immense power of the state in your hands?

We think not, and find your tone child-like and petulant. We encourage you to conduct yourself as an adult. In other words, differently from the way you portray yourself here, in a post you put up after your election:

Political accountability does not stop with the campaign and election, it starts there.

‘Democracy’ doesn't allow the 51 to rule or misrule the 49; the 49 have to be represented too, and with integrity. Everyone should be heard, even and especially the people who differ with you; your position is so important to people’s daily lives.

A six year term regulating ENERGY demands vigilant scrutiny of very clear policy. At the start of your term, declare your policies distinctly; take questions and be fully candid; allow opponents to challenge you… it’s among your responsibilities to do this.

You have been very open in your enthusiasm for Renewable Energy. Indeed, you have stated that you’d like to see Louisiana a “net zero” state within a decade.

We question the wisdom of this position, as Louisiana meets a significant portion of the nation’s energy needs through our oil and gas production, refining, and distribution capacities. Would you like to shut down the state’s oil and gas industry? Will you shut down the oil and gas industry? Will you use your power on the commission to penalize the industry into oblivion? Explicitly and directly: How far will you go to damage the oil and gas industry, vital as it is to the state’s economy, to the people of Louisiana, and indeed, to the people of the United States who rely on the energy we produce here? Be clear please: What are your plans vis-a-vis oil and gas in Louisiana?

What are all the costs and risks presumed upon the people of the state in progressing toward the “net zero” target? And who wins in the process… who gains the most in your wishes, Mr Lewis? Whom do you serve?

Does the exuberant move to renewables create the opportunity for corruption in government funding and involvement, not unlike what you complain about with the oil and gas industry?

You have gone on record saying you are no fan of nuclear energy production. Why?

How many acres of the state are you willing to devote to solar farms and wind farms? How far will you go to force these industries upon the people of the state, even if citizens may not want them? Have you firmly established the benefits of these energy production systems over the benefits of oil and gas, to the full satisfaction of your constituents? While loudly protesting the downsides of oil and gas, have you at all spoken to the downsides of solar, wind, and battery energy production? Are you even aware of their downsides? And will you admit to the upside benefits of oil and gas, also?

You have been silent when we have raised the issue of SLAVERY in the Renewable Energy Industry. Why? A highly-respected researcher, writer, and activist, Siddharth Kara, has documented the industry’s dependence on slave labor — we sent you information about this — and you have not responded. What is your response to this:

We have questions about your election funding, as it has been widely reported that you were the recipient of more than one-and-a-half-million dollars of out-of-state funds provided by organizations with deep ties to the slavery-dependent Renewable Energy Industry. Please state clearly and explicitly what these funders expect from you, and justify their interests as parallel to the interests of the people you represent.

We estimate you spent nearly $30 per vote cast for you, an extraordinary and unprecedented sum. How much did you spend per vote cast for you?

While your opponent Lambert Boissiere was depositing $15,000 of personal funds into his campaign account, you were drowning him with money provided to you by people who will demand a return on their investment. What is the understanding you have with the organizations who funded you, who purchased your golden seat on the commission?

Mr Lewis, these questions are only a few of many more we could ask, but we consider these to be at the heart of the issue of legitimacy that you must establish at the start of your six-year term.

We eagerly await your prompt response, and we assure you that we will post and disseminate your entire reply here on substack and throughout the Twittersphere as well.

You must represent everyone in your district, Mr Lewis, even those who may disagree with you and those who challenge you openly and, admittedly, with rhetorical force. We trust you can handle it. We trust you will handle it.

Feel free to email your reply to: TheBigEasyConservative@protonmail.com

Sincerely,

People of The BEC, Your Constituents

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