Amato Story Continues

The legs begin to grow.

Amato maintains he was targeted after urging Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager to explore possible links between campaign donations from utility executives to Doyle and a decision by the commission to approve the sale of the Kewaunee nuclear power plant last year.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported that Doyle's campaign accepted $41,550 from executives of Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and Alliant Energy Corp. just six months after the Public Service Commission rejected their sale of the Kewaunee nuclear plant to Dominion Resources Inc. of Richmond, Va. The three-member commission, which included two Doyle appointees, then reversed its decision on March 17, 2005 and allowed the sale to go through.

Amato was also a key source in the AG's investigation of alleged secret meetings between We Energies executives and PSC staff members over a complicated financing deal. That investigation led to a settlement negotiated by Lautenschlager that tightened rules regarding communications between regulators and corporate executives.

During a news conference announcing that settlement in October, Lautenschlager was flanked by the two customer advocates who first brought the complaint: Charlie Higley, executive director of the Citizens' Utility Board, and Amato, representing WIEG. It was an appearance that did little to endear Amato to the PSC or the governor.

The full story in The Capital Times.