For the second time this week, we have reports of what looks like inappropriately close contact between electric-company interests and the public servants who are supposed to be regulating them. Mike Duvall, an Orange County, Calif., assemblyman and vice chairman of the legislature's utility committee, resigned after a mic recorded his comments on purported dalliances with two women. California media identified one of the women as a lobbyist for an electric company. According to AP:

Several media outlets reported the woman Duvall refers to in his comments works as a lobbyist for Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based energy services company that operates San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Gas Co. Sempra issued an e-mail statement saying it was investigating the claims.

"The employee has denied the speculative media reports. Our investigation will be conducted to ensure not only that our policies on employee conduct are strictly adhered to, but also that our employee is treated fairly," the company said.

I would treat the reports identifying Duvall's putative partner with caution. The guy could have just been making stuff up. But if they're true, we have another example of inappropriate socializing between policymakers and energy companies. See this post on the Florida regulator who partied with a utility executive. No reports that I have seen so far on how Duvall voted on matters affecting Sempra.

If you're interested in all the details (me, I'm just worried about the policy implications!), a loyal friend of the blog has found a video link to Duvall's conversation as well as an unedited tape of the comments.

UPDATE: Duvall says he does not admit he had affairs. From the Pasadena paper:

"I want to make it clear that my decision to resign is in no way an admission that I had an affair or affairs," said Duvall, R-Brea, in a statement on his campaign Web site.

"My offense was engaging in inappropriate story-telling and I regret my language and choice of words," he stated. "The resulting media coverage was proving to be an unneeded distraction to my colleagues and I resigned in the hope that my decision would allow them to return to the business of the state."