A Lewis and Clark County district court judge has confirmed that Montana Public Service Commission member Brad Molnar will remain suspended for a full year, ending a legal challenge that could have returned him to the regulatory body earlier. The ruling, issued from the courthouse on Last Chance Gulch, drew a firm line on what the court called the public interest in a harassment-free commission.
The judge's order cited the balance of equities squarely against Molnar's reinstatement, writing that "the public interest require a functioning Public Service Commission free from sexual harassment and retaliation." Molnar had been suspended following findings related to sexual harassment and retaliation — conduct the court found serious enough to warrant keeping him off the five-member body that oversees Montana's utilities, pipelines, and telecommunications carriers.
The PSC's work touches nearly every Helena household — from NorthWestern Energy rate cases to internet service decisions — making the composition and conduct of the commission a matter of direct local consequence. With Molnar sidelined for the duration of his suspension, the remaining commissioners have been carrying those decisions without him.
For Helena residents who follow utility regulation, the ruling settles the near-term question of who sits on the commission. Molnar's suspension will run its course under the court's order, and he will not return to the body until that period expires.