This is the text of the letter state Rep. Win Moses sent to Edwin Simcox of the Indiana Energy Association on Oct. 15:

Per our earlier conversation, in the past, few regulated investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have offered to contribute to my political campaigns. This is primarily because of my advocacy for the ratepayer. And because of that consumer advocacy, I have seldom accepted contributions from an IOU. This makes sense because no one should donate to candidates who do not represent a donor’s views. And vice versa, no candidate should accept contributions from donors whose views a candidate often objects to.

There is a tradition in the legislature that the chairman of a committee overseeing an industry seems to receive larger and more frequent contributions. In unregulated competitive industries, not totally dependent upon state regulations, perhaps this is understandable.

But in regulated industries that are almost totally dependent upon the state for revenue and expenses, such as your IEA members – the gas and electric companies – the perceived pressure to contribute may outweigh the usual reasons to contribute. I make this observation because an examination of campaign contributions in the past show a marked increase in donations to the chairman of the committees that oversee electric and gas companies. Gas and electric companies give larger amounts to chairmen than others.

This year I am the chairman of the Commerce, Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee for the House of Representatives. And I think that it is unfair for any fully regulated utility, such as your IEA members, to feel, at all, as if they should contribute to me. My history is much different than their goals. Likewise, I do not want to accept contributions from companies whose goals are often at variance with the needs of my constituents.

So, please respectfully convey to your IEA members that I appreciate the good work that they do in supplying reliable utilities for the state of Indiana, but I will not accept political contributions from them.

This action is not meant to impugn others who do take IEA contributions. It is their legal right to receive and the IEA’s legal right to give. I just choose, as chairman, not to do so.

As chairman, it is important that my judgments be as unbiased as possible. Refusing political contributions reduces conflicts of interest substantially.

I look forward to working with you, your IEA members, and consumer groups in the opening session.