What If Larsen Had Been An Ehrlich Appointee?

Maryland Public Service Commission Chairman Steven Larsen seems to be having a few problems. First, his boss, Gov. Martin O’Malley promised the voters that he wouldn’t allow BGE to get by with a huge proposed rate increase. Of course there was nothing that could be done and Larsen had to allow it.

Next, the chair of a supposedly independent agency had to kowtow to O’Malley’s demands for hearings on the rate increase even though both have admitted that there isn’t much to be done. The sole purpose of the O’Malley-Larsen inquisition will be to try the old “bait and switch” and lay all of the blame on Constellation Energy’s feet (Constellation is the non-regulated parent company of BGE).

Now we find out that Larsen’s former employer, AmeriGroup, is guilty of over billing Maryland Medicaid for tens of millions of dollars while Larsen ran their Maryland and DC operations. I’m sure that Gov. O’Malley has the “utmost confidence” in Larsen, just as he does his drunk driving Budget Director.

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