Blossman drops out of Public Service race

Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman announced this week he will not seek re-election, ending a 12-year career mired by ethical lapses but also stamped with his famous “Do not call” program, ending telemarketing calls to home.

“I have decided that now is the time for me to return the focus of my life to my family and our family business,” Blossman, 43, chairman of the five-board commission, said in an e-mail statement this week. “Therefore, I have decided that I will not seek re-election to the Public Service Commission.

Blossman, a Mandeville Republican, who flirted with a run for the 1st Congressional District seat vacated by Bobby Jindal when he became governor, hinted at this week’s announcement in January. He halted that congressional bid to stay home with his then 7- and 4-year-old children, saying public life takes one away from home too often.

Possibly best known for stomping out telemarketers calls to private residents, Blossman is also well known for ending long distance calls between St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes, a move predicted to save Northshore callers $2.5 million a year. But despite his success as the chief of the states utility regulatory committee, Blossman’s tenure was mired by allegations of ethical misconduct.

In June the state inspector general found Blossman may have violated state laws when he sent a letter on commission stationary to more than 230 motor carriers regulated by the commission promoted a product from Nicholas Larussa, a recent LSU graduate involved in global positioning technology.

Blossman since said he sent the letter because he thought the companies might benefit from the technology.

At 31, Blossman was first elected to the Public Service Commission in 1996. At the time, he was the youngest person to ever serve on the commission, according to his announcement letter. He defeated incumbent John Schweggman whose father held the seat before him.