Seats

Although there are only two vacant seats on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Gov. Jerry Brown could have a third seat to fill if one sitting member’s six-year term is not approved by the state Senate later this month.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) expects the two candidates for seats on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — one a former lobbyist for a commodity trading group and the other a lobbyist for a farmers association — to be confirmed by the full Senate, a committee spokeswoman said Thursday.

As part of a large bundle of new appointments late Friday, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger filled three of the five seats on the oversight board of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and reappointed one of the five members of the California Energy Commission (CEC). All of the selections require confirmation by the California Senate.

In a surprise move, the White House has sent the Senate the nominations of a Colorado attorney and a Washington, DC energy executive to fill the two vacant seats at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If confirmed by the Senate, this would be the first time since December 2003 that the five-member Commission will be operating at full capacity.

The New York Mercantile Exchange said last week that two seats on the Nymex Division set records in consecutive days. On Thursday, a seat sold for $3 million, surpassing the $2.85 million record sale set on September 27 (see Daily GPI, Sept. 28; Oct. 21) On Friday, a seat sold for $3.1 million, the most ever for a seat on any futures exchange. Ownership of a seat on the Nymex Division also represents a share of common stock in Nymex Holdings Inc. “It is a dynamic time for the exchange and its markets, and we have seen unprecedented growth in volumes as we have continued to meet the evolving risk management needs of the industry,” said Nymex President James E. Newsome.

Financier Carl Icahn and his investor coalition have dropped their push to gain two seats on Kerr-McGee Corp.’s board of directors, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Steve Poizner, a Silicon Valley telecommunications multi-millionaire entrepreneur, withdrew his name on Wednesday from consideration to fill one of the five seats on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), citing too many conflicts with his rich and varied personal investment portfolio. Poizner, an unsuccessful candidate for an elected state legislative seat two years ago, said he plans to run next year for the state Insurance Commissioner’s post.

Steve Poizner, a Silicon Valley telecommunications multi-millionaire entrepreneur, withdrew his name on Wednesday from consideration to fill one of the five seats on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), citing too many conflicts with his rich and varied personal investment portfolio. Poizner, an unsuccessful candidate for an elected state legislative seat two years ago, said he plans to run next year for the state Insurance Commissioner’s post.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) Monday placed a formal hold on the nomination of Joseph T. Kelliher to fill one of two vacant seats at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to the senator’s office.