When you lie to the US Attorney

Quick Facts Why PG&E Sucks

The PG&E Probe Grows

When you lie to the US Attorney

PG&E target of new federal grand jury probe

By George Avalos, gavalos@bayareanewsgroup.com

POSTED:   08/19/2014 04:00:27 PM PDT0 COMMENTS| UPDATED:   2 MONTHS AGO

SAN FRANCISCO -- Federal court sources said Tuesday that a new grand jury probe of PG&E is underway. While the focus of the probe has not been announced, it follows disclosure by the utility that it is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office in connection with a natural gas explosion in March in Carmel that damaged a vacant home but caused no injuries.

The revelations come on the heels of this week's not-guilty plea by PG&E to a 28-count federal indictment on felony criminal charges, including obstruction of justice, in connection with a fatal 2010 gas pipe explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people.

The U.S. Attorney, the state Public Utilities Commission and local authorities in Carmel are investigating the explosion in the posh seaside town, PG&E said in its most recent quarterly regulatory filing at the end of July. And the utility warned that additional investigations could commence regarding the Carmel explosion.

"It is reasonably possible that fines could be imposed on the Utility, or that other enforcement actions could be taken, in connection with this matter," PG&E said in the filing. The further actions could include another criminal indictment.

The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment on the new grand jury probe.

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"We received a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's Office related to the incident in Carmel," Greg Snapper, spokesman for San Francisco-based PG&E, said Tuesday. The utility added that it is focusing on a far-reaching upgrade of its natural gas pipelines that will make the system the nation's safest.

The federal case regarding San Bruno could lead to a fine for PG&E of up to $1.13 billion, and a separate PUC investigation into the San Bruno blast could result in a fine against the utility of up to $2.45 billion.

The U.S. Attorney investigation of the Carmel explosion is underway at the same time as the new federal grand jury probe, but the timing could be a coincidence, because the focus of the new grand jury probe is unknown. Court sources, including a clerk for U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, who is presiding over the PG&E case, confirmed the existence of the new grand jury.

Peter Henning, a professor of law with Detroit-based Wayne State University, said the new grand jury probe indicates that "the prosecutor is being aggressive."

"They are sending a message to PG&E that they are not done," Henning said. "That ratchets up the pressure on PG&E."

Prosecutors typically are barred from using a new grand jury to produce fresh evidence for a case in which it already has an indictment, legal experts say. However, the lines between two separate cases can become blurred.

"It is pretty common for one investigation to lead to another," said Rory Little, a law professor with UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

PG&E indicated in its regulatory filing that inaccurate gas records were a factor behind the Carmel explosion. PG&E's shoddy records and flawed maintenance efforts are deemed to be the principal factors behind the fatal San Bruno blast.

"The danger for PG&E is there are other cases out there, or evidence of conduct similar to San Bruno, that could cut off an avenue of defense," Henning said.

Contact George Avalos at 408-859-5167. Follow him at Twitter.com/georgeavalos.

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PG&E Offers $10,000 Reward In Walnut Creek Kidnapping

PG&E Offers $10,000 Reward In Walnut Creek Kidnapping And Robbery Case

The Kidnap Victim took over the project Pete Bennett started in February 2011. Then someone kidnapped my sons.

The Forgotten PG&E Kidnapping Case

PG&E Offers $10,000 Reward In Walnut Creek Kidnapping And Robbery Case



Release Date: November 20, 2012

Contact: PG&E External Communications (415) 973-5930




Release Date: November 20, 2012

Contact: PG&E External Communications (415) 973-5930



WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for kidnapping a PG&E contract employee in a parking lot as she left work on November 7 in the Walnut Creek Shadelands area.

On November 7, 2012 at approximately 7:30 p.m., a 57 year old female was abducted as she was leaving work and walking to her vehicle in an isolated parking lot. As the victim unlocked her vehicle two suspects ran up to her, forced her into her vehicle, tied her up and blindfolded her. The victim was driven to various locations in an attempt to get money from her ATM accounts.

The victim was driven to an isolated area in the Oakland Hills where she was released. A vehicle with a loud muffler was heard leaving the area. The victim was able to free herself and called 911. Oakland PD responded and sought medical attention for the victim and obtained the initial information. The Walnut Creek Police Department was called to handle the primary investigation since the incident originated in Walnut Creek.

Suspect #1: Described as a white male adult, early to mid 20s, 5’11”, 185/190 lbs, broad shoulders, short dark hair, unknown facial hair. Last seen wearing light colored T shirt under a black zip up colored shirt, jeans, blue or black.

Suspect #2: Described as a white male adult, early to mid 20s, 5’9”, 150 lbs with a slight build. Last seen wearing a mask (form type to below the nose), black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up, dark jeans.

Suspect Vehicle: Vehicle with a loud muffler.

The Walnut Creek Police Department is actively investigating this crime. Anyone with information related to this crime is asked to contact the Walnut Creek Police Department Investigations Unit at (925) 943-5868 or (925) 943-5844.


The photos below are of one of the kidnapping/robbery/carjacking suspects in this case. The photos are from a drive up bank ATM. The suspect in the photo went by the name "Aubrey" (see suspect #2 description below). The second suspect went by the name "David". It is important to stress we do not know if these are the suspect's actual names.

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CPUC head Michael Peevey to step down

The King Is Gone Now Pay Me

Quick Facts

•  Peevey Out 
• Cherry Out 
• Pay Pete Bennett 

CPUC and PG&E

The president of the California Public Utilities Commission, who came under fire for the agency’s lax regulation of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. before the deadly San Bruno explosion and for recent revelations of back-channel communications with utility executives, said Thursday he would step aside when his term ends in December.

“Twelve years is enough,” said Michael Peevey, 76, who is completing his second six-year term as head of the commission.

In a statement that made no mention of the recent PG&E controversies, Peevey said he had originally planned to disclose his plans at the commission’s meeting next Thursday, “but instead I am moving the announcement to today.” He gave no explanation.

His successor on the five-member commission will be named by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The announcement was cause for celebration by Peevey’s critics, including Democratic state Sen. Jerry Hill, whose Peninsula district includes the neighborhood destroyed by the explosion of a PG&E pipeline in September 2010. Federal investigators criticized Peevey’s commission for not having done more before the disaster to force PG&E to test its pipes for problems and maintain a safe gas system.

“Now we need to rebuild the PUC. That’s the good news,” Hill said. “We can start the process of changing the culture at the Public Utilities Commission to protect the public.”

San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane said, “We certainly hope that it will be the start of the revitalization of the Public Utilities Commission. It's not going to happen overnight, but I definitely believe that Mr. Peevey's leaving is a start.”

The person who took this picture is likely connected to the Arson Network

The Utility Reform Network, a consumer advocate group, said Peevey shouldn’t wait until December to depart. “TURN calls on him to resign immediately and for Gov. Brown to replace Peevey as president immediately,” said the group’s president, Mark Toney.

A spokesman for the governor said Brown had no comment on Peevey’s announcement.

Peevey’s defenders said the PG&E controversies shouldn’t overshadow his accomplishments, including helping California’s utilities recover from the energy crisis of the early 2000s and providing support for green-energy programs.

“This is the strongest environmental record ever created by a California commissioner,” said Ralph Cavanagh, energy program co-director for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

When Peevey arrived at the commission, Cavanagh noted, the state was beset by rolling blackouts and soaring electricity prices.

“It fell to Mike to quite literally rebuild California's utility system,” he said. “The utilities were in shambles. He restored California utilities’ ability to invest in infrastructure and capacity. He made sure that capacity was used to improve the environmental and economic performance of the system.

“We stand as a demonstration for the world ... that good economic and environmental performance go hand in hand,” Cavanagh said.

Criticism of Peevey had intensified in the past month with PG&E’s release of several e-mails that embarrassed the commission president and other state regulators.

On Monday, jvanderbeken@sfchronicle.com

Peevey problems

Michael Peevey’s legacy at the California Public Utilities Commission is partly defined by the agency’s oversight of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which in recent years has been problematic.

May 2010 — Peevey appeared to dangle favorable commission treatment of PG&E to contributions he wanted to make in a state ballot measure campaign and toward a party for the state agency, a former PG&E executive wrote in an e-mail released this week.

August 2011 — The head of the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigated the PG&E pipeline blast in 2010 that killed eight people in San Bruno, said the utility had “exploited weaknesses in a lax system of oversight” and that regulators had “placed a blind trust in operators, to the detriment of public safety.”

April 2013 — A PG&E official e-mails Peevey chief of staff Carol Brown for advice on how to get around a public-information request. Brown answers with two alternatives, to which the PG&E staffer replies, “Love you.”

January 2014 — A PG&E vice president e-mails Brown and other commission officials seeking to have a preferred administrative law judge assigned to a $1.3 billion rate-setting case. When the e-mail is released in September, Brown resigns and Peevey recuses himself from a separate case in which PG&E could be penalized $1.4 billion in connection with the San Bruno explosion.

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