Utility regulation committee chairman out in coup

HELENA — A Republican member of the Public Service Commission joined with the Democratic minority Friday to oust the GOP chairman and take over as leader of the dysfunctional panel that regulates utilities.

The removal of chairman Bill Gallagher and insertion of Travis Kavulla caps a tumultuous three months for the commission and dissolves a rare Republican majority for a panel that had been under Democratic control for most of the last 30 years.

Friday's meeting started as a discussion on how to reprimand vice chairman Brad Molnar over a recent trip to Washington, D.C. It quickly devolve...