We need a “PaxtonPointLess” graffiti
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Monday his office will investigate CenterPoint’s conduct during Hurricane Beryl, which wiped out power to millions of the utility’s Houston-area customers last month.
“My office is aware of concerning allegations regarding CenterPoint and how its conduct affected readiness during Hurricane Beryl, a storm that left millions of Texans without power,” Paxton said in a statement. He did not detail what laws CenterPoint might have violated, but said his office would investigate “allegations of fraud” and improper use of public money.
CenterPoint spokesperson John Sousa said the company would cooperate fully with the attorney general’s investigation.
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After the winter freeze in February 2021 that knocked out electricity to millions statewide and left more than 240 people dead, Paxton announced investigations into a dozen power and utility companies, including CenterPoint, for potential price gouging or other deceptive trade practices. His office filed a lawsuit against Griddy soon after the storm, but he has not provided public updates on the other inquiries, including whether they are ongoing or have been closed.
I would keep my expectations very low here. That’s partly because of his track record following Uri, partly because I think the bulk of the fixes for this need to be legislative and regulatory, and partly because Paxton is an opportunistic grifter who’s chasing headlines above all else. Will anyone be surprised if down the line he claims that “DEI” is the reason for CenterPoint’s failures? He got his name in the papers making it look like he’s Doing Something. He can now move on back to the things he actually wants to do.