PUC attacks Denenberg
in high court arguments
PITTSBURGH (AP) The state Supreme Court heard
arguments yesterday on a move by the Public Utility Corn
imsslon to prevent Gov. Shapp from appointing Herbert S.
Denenberg as its legal,counsel.
Arlen Specter, the PUC's attorney for the case, appealed a
commonwealth Court refusal to grant an injunction and
claimed that appointing Denenberg as counsel is part of a
plan by Shapp to take over the operation of the PUC.
lie said Denenberg has conflicts of interest with the com
mission and has subjected it and its members to puric
ridicule
During the hearing, Chief Justice Benjamin R. Jones said he
reminded Denenberg to abide by a July 30 Supreme Court
decision ordering the former state insurance commissioner
not to practice law in the state:.
Denenberg, who can practice law in Nebraska and
ashington, D.C., had asked the state Board of Law
Examiners for permission to practice law in Pennsylvania.
The board granted the request, but in an unprecedented
love, the state Supreme Court said it wanted to consider the
in3unction issue before permitting Denenberg to practice law
in the state
In that order on July 30, the hi court said:
Get into the Classifieds
practice law given by the iiironothonary to Herbert S
Denenberg is revoked forthwidt.."
•
Denenberg was not immediately available for comment.
Lawrence Silver, deputy attorney, general representing
Denenberg, said the Commonwealth Court did not abuse its
discretion because the PUC "did not have cleans hands."
"This lawsuit is about a man, his ideas and his style," said
Silver.
"Since people in public life too often are regarded as things,
it is altogether fitting that this record briefly reflected few
undisputed facts about Herbert S. Denenberg," he said.
He said the jurisdiction of the lower court was in "sub
stantial doubt" because of Shapp's right of appointment.
Specter said Denenberg criticized the PUC before reporting
to work on his first day as the commission's counsel. -
Theicommission has five seats, but Shapp has said he will
name penenberg as an interim appointee after the legislature
adjourns Nov. 30.
Denenberg, who reportedly is receiving a salary of $25,819
from the Justice Department while his appointment to the
PUC hangs in balance, was named to the inter• ' im post of
counsel in June until he is confirmed to the commission seat.
The Supreme Court said it will take the Denenberg ap
• intment under advisement and invited both sides to present
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Denenberg 'always out'
HARRISBURG (AP) The
message, "He's not in" often is given
by secretaries of high state officials
whose bosses dislike taking phone
calls.
Herbert S. Denenberg, Public
Utility Commission counsel, said
yesterday his callers the past two
days have been getting the same
message-without his knowledge.
Denenberg charged that PUC
Chairman George I. Bloom ordered
PUC personell to say Denenberg was
out when the counsel was at his desk.
To check the_ statement by
Denenberg, the PVC counsel, a
newsman called the commission's
information number and asked where
Denenberg could be reached.
"I really couldn't tell you," a
woman receptionist responded. "He's
not in today. Maybe the attorney
general could tell you where he is."
A call was then placed to Denen
berg, who was in his office.
The receptionist also was asked
has
NOW $1.95
where people could obtain a copy of
Denenberg's "Shopper's Guide to
Public Utility Law." The woman
replied, "I don't know anything about
it-only what I read in the
newspapers."
Gov. Shapp has appointed
Denenberg PUC counsel and will give
him a one-year appointment as a PUC
commissioner after the legislature
adjourns Nov. 30.. Bloom refuses to
recognize Denenberg as counsel and,
has designated Edward Munce, a
PUC attorney, as acting counsel.
Denenbe_rg said he learned Wed
nesday that calls weren't getting
through when his secretary a 47-
year veteran of the PUC burst into
his office crying. The secretary said
Munce told her net to put through
Denenberg's calls 'and she became
emotionally upset,!Dehenberg said.
Munce was not immediately
available for comment.
Shortly afterwards, Denenberg's
wife, Naomi, who was assisting him
Campaign bill finished
WASHINGTON (UPI) The bill provides for public
Senate-House negotiators financing of presidential
completed action yesterday elections, primaries and
on a sweeping political • national conventions. It would
campaign reform bill inS limit political contributions
cluding a crack-down on and place, ceilings on can
congressional moonlighting. didate. spading.
Rep. Wayne Hays, D-Ohio, Hays said he talked to Ford
and Sen. Howard W. Cannon, about the bill "a day or two
D-Nev., predicted Congress ago and he appeared
will approve the compromise reasonably happy." Asked
bill late next week and send it Iwhether he thought Ford
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without pay, placed a call through the
governor's - switchboard. The
operator told her people were com
plaining they couldn't reach her
husband.
Mrs. Denenberg started answering
all of Denenberg's cans Wednesday.
Yesterday, she was answering the
phone again along with Denenberg's
secretary- who ignored the order
from Munce and another secretary
borrowed temporarily from the
Justice Department.
Denenberg said his office was
flooded with letters asking for copies
of his guide.
The letters left Denenberg with
another complication, because Bloom
sent Munce a memo telling him that
any mail from Denenberg should be
approved by him, Munce, before
being sent out.
Bloom said his memo was aimed at
the costly amount of mail sent out by
Denenberg.
conferees agreed on a
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A number of senators last
year made more on the
speaking circuit than their
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H. Humphrey, D-Minn., led
the list with $65,650. Sen.
James Abourezk, D-S.D.,
made the most from one
speech, $lO,OOO.
White House Press
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whether Ford would sign the
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President is opposed to using
taxpayers' money to finance
primaries and conventions.
The conferees agreed
yesterday that Senate and
House candidates could use
for office expenses any
contributions which exceed
their spending limits.
But they dropped a
proposal to repeal the equal
time provision for
presidential candidates under
which all are entitled to the
same television and radio
time.