The first head has rolled, sort of, in the state Public Utilities Commission’s insider attempts to coddle PG&E with no fines over the San Bruno disaster. Frank Lindh, the PUC’s general counsel (and for years a top attorney at PG&E) has recused himself from the PG&E case. It was Lindh who, after a team of PUC lawyers were yanked from the case once it was clear they wouldn’t go along with an attempt by the agency’s brass to let the utility off with a wrist slap, announced that they’d removed themselves voluntarily. Hello? The lawyers then vigorously disputed that.No word yet on what, if any, consequences there may be for Jack Hagen, the agency’s (at least formerly) gun-toting-at-the-office safety division chief, who, as the Chronicle has revealed, has been a key behind-the-scenes player in the effort to push for light treatment of the utility and who has made some staffers feel intimidated over the PG&E caper. The Chron’s Jaxon Van Derbeken quotes him as saying he’s “exasperated” by it all. Imagine that.
