Editing Charles Evans Hughes (section)

===Exposing corrupt utilities===
Responding to newspaper stories run by the ''[[New York World]]'', Governor [[Frank W. Higgins]] appointed a legislative committee to investigate the state's [[public utilities]] in 1905. On the recommendation of a former state judge who had been impressed by Hughes's performance in court, the legislative committee appointed Hughes to lead the investigation. Hughes was reluctant to take on the powerful utility companies, but Senator [[Frederick C. Stevens (New York politician)|Frederick C. Stevens]], the leader of the committee, convinced Hughes to accept the position. Hughes decided to center his investigation on Consolidated Gas, which controlled the production and sale of gas in New York City.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Simon|2012|pp=26–28}}</ref> Though few expected the committee to have any impact on public corruption, Hughes was able to show that Consolidated Gas had engaged in a pattern of tax evasion and fraudulent bookkeeping. To eliminate or mitigate those abuses, Hughes drafted and convinced the state legislature to pass bills that established a commission to regulate public utilities and lowered gas prices.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Henretta|2006|pp=122–123}}</ref>