Public Service Commission adopts response‑team report and authorizes legal steps after heated debate

The Public Service Commission voted 3-2 on Sept. 3, 2025, to adopt a response‑team report that concluded the agency had been harmed by a commissioner’s conduct and to authorize the response team to pursue implementation of its recommendations, including retaining outside legal counsel and exceeding a $25,000 procurement threshold for legal services.

President Welborn read the motion into the record and called for the vote after extended debate. Commissioner Fielder, who moved to adopt the report, said the independent investigator’s work and the response team’s conclusions showed "serious misconduct" including "unprofessional conduct towards staff, repeated unwelcome [comments], retaliation against complainants" and misrepresentation of colleagues and facts. Fielder argued the findings were supported by interviews, documentary evidence and prior written warnings and said the agency had incurred substantial outside costs related to the investigation and legal work — which the report lists as about $65,000.

Commissioner Molnar, who had been identified in the report as the subject of the response team’s findings, denied that the commission had afforded him adequate process and described parts of the report as unproven or hearsay. "I have a right to know what I was accused of. I didn't find that out until, like, a week ago," Molnar said, and earlier answered the chair’s question about abstention with, "I do not abstain." Molnar repeatedly asserted bias in the commission’s handling of the matter and disputed the evidentiary basis for several allegations.

Before the adoption vote, Commissioner Pinochet moved to postpone consideration so Molnar could review the confidential report and highlight what he believed was true or false; that postponement motion failed by a 2-to-3 vote. Counsel Amy Christiansen told the commission that, in her view, the fact‑finding process had provided notice and opportunity to be heard and that the independent investigator had been given opportunities to consider available statements, while supporters of postponement raised concerns about the accused commissioner’s access to counsel during investigative interviews.

The motion to adopt the response‑team report—moved by Commissioner Fielder and seconded by Commissioner Bukacek—authorized the response team to take steps described in section 7 of the report, to retain outside counsel and professional services as needed, to exceed the $25,000 contract amount under procurement policy 2.8.0.4 for legal services (including work with Boone Carleburg, PC), and to pursue recovery of court costs from Commissioner Molnar as identified in section 6.7 of the report. The motion also authorized the response team to support department spokespeople in making public statements about the matter and to make nonsubstantive clerical edits and redactions to finalized documents.

When the roll was called, the motion carried 3-2. According to the record, Commissioners Molnar and Pinochet voted against adopting the report; Commissioners Fielder, Bukacek and President Welborn voted in favor. President Welborn then closed the meeting and adjourned.

Next steps identified by the motion include the response team’s implementation of section 7 recommendations, authority to hire counsel and to produce supplemental information; the record does not specify an exact implementation schedule or next meeting date. The commission’s votes and the record of debate were taken in open session and are part of the meeting minutes for this action.