By Michael Brooks

Meetings of the Maryland Public Service Commission may get a lot livelier if Gov. Larry Hogan’s pick to replace Lawrence Brenner is confirmed.

Hogan nominated Montgomery County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Michael L. Higgs Jr., an attorney with Shulman Rogers specializing in telecommunications and media regulations.

Higgs is an unabashed conservative who has used his now-deactivated Twitter account to compare President Obama’s advisor Valerie Jarrett to Rasputin and speculate that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had disappeared for several weeks to receive a facelift.

Higgs would be joining a commission that has been one of the most outspoken defenders of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed carbon emission rule.

Hogan submitted Higgs for state Senate approval on Feb. 20 to replace Brenner, a former administrative law judge with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission whose five-year term expires June 30.“I’m thrilled with the trust that the governor has placed in me and I look forward to serving the people of Maryland once I’m confirmed,” Higgs told the Gazette.

The Rockville resident is a graduate of the University of Maryland, with a bachelor’s in government and politics, and received his law degree from the George Washington Law School.

While attending law school, he worked for several firms where he gained experience learning the rules and policies of the Federal Communications Commission. At Shulman Rogers, Higgs’ clients include Internet service providers and radio and TV broadcasters. According to his LinkedIn profile, Higgs has no experience in the electricity industry.

In November’s gubernatorial election, Republican Hogan beat Democrat Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, a big upset in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1.

Higgs did not respond to requests for comment.