The Energy Commission committee charged with finding a solution for California’s high gas prices has sometimes been a hostile place for consumers over the last year and a half. At Tuesday's meeting, that changed. The Air Resources Board, NRDC, four members of the committee, and even oil trader Vitol SA echoed Consumer Watchdog to question refiners' market power and lack of transparency for price spikes.

Governor Brown has traveled the world speaking out against climate change. But an exhaustive review of his Administration's actions shows they've often helped oil, gas and utility companies at the expense of the environment and the consumer, and that contributions from the companies often followed.

In 2002 I stood up in front of the U.S. Senate Energy Committee and presented reasons why Enron had caused the so called “California Energy Crisis.”  I was alone that day on a panel of senior regulators and energy officials.  My picture in the New York Times the next day captured the puzzled looks of my more important panelists as I failed to support the consensus that nothing was wrong.