HARTFORD, CT – A cease and desist letter sent by PURA general counsel Maura Muska to colleagues accuses them of defamation, escalating a controversy already under investigation by the Connecticut Attorney General’s office. the letter, revealed during a deposition this week, alleges misconduct by PURA staff and comes amid ongoing legal battles with utility companies and scrutiny over transparency within the agency.
The allegations in Muska’s letter center around claims made about her conduct during investigations into utility rate hikes and the handling of public data requests. Commissioner Caron revealed the existence of the letter during a deposition on Wednesday in a lawsuit brought by Eversource and Avangrid against PURA, alleging that former PURA chair Marissa Gillett overstepped her authority.
The Attorney General’s office confirmed on Oct. 31 it had hired the law firm Shipman & Goodwin, under a $270,000-a-year retainer, to investigate allegations of misconduct at PURA, including compliance with Freedom of Information Act requests and court-ordered discovery.This investigation was launched after the Hartford Courant reported on the matter. A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office declined further comment Friday.
The dispute with Eversource and Avangrid stems from PURA’s denial of natural gas rate increases sought by Avangrid-owned gas companies. The utility companies allege Gillett improperly influenced the decision and even helped write an opinion piece critical of them,allegations Gillett has denied. Judge Matthew Budzik is currently investigating whether PURA attorneys, including Muska, withheld information regarding Gillett’s communications and auto-delete settings on her phone. A hearing in this case is scheduled for Nov. 12.
Shipman & Goodwin previously conducted an investigation for the state last year into the misuse of state vehicles by staffers in the governor’s office.PURA is currently represented by the attorney general’s office in both active lawsuits brought by the utility companies. Neither Muska nor a spokesperson for PURA responded to requests for comment. Attempts to reach Gaudiosi for comment were unsuccessful.