So, another one bites the dust. Or, more accurately, another one cashes in.
Let’s be real for a second. When you see a press release dripping with so much sugary praise that you feel like you need a dental check-up, your alarm bells should be screaming. The announcement that Choose New Jersey President and CEO Mathews to Join PSEG is one of those moments. It’s a masterclass in corporate doublespeak, a perfectly choreographed dance that we’re all supposed to applaud.
I’m not applauding. I’m wondering who’s paying the DJ.
The official line is that Mathews, a "proven leader" with "exceptional leadership and global experience," is joining PSEG's "corporate citizenship organization." Corporate citizenship. Just let that phrase roll around in your mouth for a second. It sounds so wholesome, doesn't it? Like they're out there planting trees and helping little old ladies cross the street. The reality is that "VP for state government affairs" is just a C-suite title for "chief lobbyist." His job isn't to make PSEG a better citizen; it's to make sure state regulators and politicians are PSEG's best friends.
This ain't his first rodeo, and PSEG knows it. Hiring Mathews is like a pro sports team signing the league’s most connected referee. You’re not paying for his ability to call the game; you’re paying for the certainty that the calls will go your way. He spent years schmoozing on "economic missions" with the governor, building a Rolodex that must be worth its weight in gold. He launched a massive ad campaign with 11.3 billion impressions. You don't generate that kind of noise without knowing exactly which levers to pull and whose backs to scratch. And now, all that knowledge, all those connections, belong to the state’s largest utility.
The Playbook is the Product
Let's break down the timing, because it’s just… perfect. The announcement says Mathews will help PSEG "support the governor-elect to ensure a seamless transition for New Jersey." Read that again. It’s not about serving New Jersey. It's about ensuring a "seamless transition" for PSEG's interests with the new administration. It’s getting in on the ground floor before the furniture has even been delivered to the governor's mansion. This is a pre-emptive strike, a multi-million-dollar insurance policy against unfavorable regulation.
And what, exactly, makes Mathews the guy to steer New Jersey’s energy future? His background is in the Foreign Service and business attraction. He’s an expert at selling the idea of New Jersey. That’s a completely different skill set from understanding the catastrophic complexities of an aging power grid, the crushing burden of energy affordability on working families, or the physics of renewable energy integration. Does anyone seriously believe he was hired for his deep insights into grid reliability? Or was he hired because he has Governor Murphy's number on speed dial and knows the favorite steakhouse of every key legislator in Trenton?
The quotes are almost comical. PSEG's Rick Thigpen says Mathews's "strategic insight will be invaluable." Translation: "His contact list is invaluable." Governor Murphy calls his contributions "many" and wishes him "continued success." Translation: "He did his job, played the game, and now he’s getting his reward. On to the next one." It's a closed loop, a self-perpetuating system of influence and access that benefits the connected few while the rest of us get stuck with the bill.
It’s just so tiresome. We’re supposed to look at his resume—four international offices, $6.7 billion in economic impact, 14,000 jobs—and be impressed. And sure, those are numbers. But are they the right numbers? How many of those jobs are low-wage warehouse gigs? How many of those corporate expansions came with massive tax breaks that you and I have to cover? The press release, offcourse, doesn't get into those messy details.
Citizenship is a Funny Word
Here’s where the story gets really good. While PSEG is busy patting itself on the back for hiring a new "corporate citizen," what is the company actually doing out in the real world?
Just a few days before this glowing announcement, PSEG was in court asking a judge to prohibit landowners from hunting on their own property so the company could conduct surveys for a new power line. Think about that. A massive corporation, in the name of its own expansion, is trying to strip people of the right to use their land as they see fit. That doesn’t sound much like good citizenship to me. It sounds like a corporate bully throwing its weight around because it can.
And then you have the fluff pieces, like the PSEG Long Island program helps seniors stay safe and storm-ready. They host workshops to teach seniors about storm preparedness and how to not get scammed. It’s a nice gesture. A very, very cheap gesture. It’s the kind of low-cost, high-visibility PR that’s designed to make you forget about the other stuff—the rate hikes, the lobbying, the land disputes. It's a calculated distraction. This is a bad strategy. No, 'bad' doesn't cover it—this is a transparently cynical strategy. They create a problem with energy affordability and then offer a workshop on how to save a few bucks on your bill. It’s like a fox offering chickens a seminar on coop security.
This is the world Wes Mathews is stepping into. A world where "citizenship" means managing public perception while maximizing corporate advantage. His job isn't to change the company's behavior; it's to make sure the company's behavior doesn't hurt its bottom line. He's the fixer, the smoother-over, the guy who makes sure the ugly parts of the business stay hidden behind a wall of positive press releases and community outreach events.
So what happens now? Does PSEG suddenly become a benevolent force for good in New Jersey? Will our energy bills go down? Will the grid become more reliable? Or will PSEG just get even better at getting what it wants from a state government that’s already deep in its pocket? I think we all know the answer. This move just makes the whole process more efficient. And honestly, maybe I'm just screaming into the void here, but someone has to point out how utterly predictable and rotten this all is.
