Friday, December 7, 2012
Arkansas Politics UPDATE: Senators Key, Lamoureux and Williams fined by Ethics Commission
Posted by Lindsey Millar on Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 10:04 AM
Fayetteville Prairie Grove public school teacher Dustin Seaton filed the complaints in July. He was working with the campaigns of Democrats Diana Gonzales Worther and Zac White at the time. In a note yesterday, he said, the "Ethics Commission should have more bite in ensuring appropriate ept campaign expenditures from the various campaigns, especially from unopposed campaigns."
Lamoureux told the Democrat-Gazette the ruling was "a close call that could go either way." He said he wouldn't be surprised to see lawmakers propose legislation to clarify ethics law.
UPDATE: editorial comment from Max. The law doesn't need clarification except to end the bogus loophole the Ethics Commission created for rampant exploitation by the GOP this year. It prohibits use of campaign money for other campaigns. How hard would it be to stick to the law? As it is a bogus fundraiser can be created in which unopposed legislators meet for lunch at Doe's to swap checks. Heck, the unopposed candidate need not even attend. Who will check? Not the toothless malleable Ethics Commission. There is no benefit or need for candidates to use campaign cash to give to another candidate except to evade limits on campaign contributions for others whose money they launder and to buy influence. The practice should be stopped. The nature of clarification proposed by majority republicans will tell us much about their ethics. But we already know plenty based on leaders' blatant violation of the law here and the recent push to allow these same boodlers to use campaign cash as a special interest-financed traveling fund to political conventions. Some fresh air this bunch will be. Not. Bring on Regnat Populus.
Speaking of...
-
Partisan justice
May 16, 2013I had a nice visit with Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Rhonda Wood last week. /more/
-
Diamonds in the manure of the Arkansas legislature
May 9, 2013Some legislators and legislation shone. /more/
-
Morning roundup: Partisan judge, Children's leader
May 3, 2013Light start to the day: * PARTISAN JUDGES: I noted yesterday the highly partisan flavor of Appeals Court Judge Rhonda Wood's Twitter feeds, as well as those of colleague Circuit Judge Mike Maggio of Conway. /more/
-
How the private option flipped the Medicaid expansion debate
May 2, 2013It took a group of clever and obstinate young Republican legislators who refused to go along with Medicaid expansion but weren't ready to close the door on other ideas. They helped force a crafty veteran Democratic governor who was eager to go forward with expansion to consider alternative approaches. Throw in tireless and creative state health officials who happened to have a cozy relationship with their federal It took a group of clever and obstinate young Republican legislators who refused to go along with Medicaid expansion but weren’t ready to close the door on other ideas. They helped force a crafty veteran Democratic governor who was eager to go forward with expansion to consider alternative approaches. Throw in tireless and creative state health officials who happened to have a cozy relationship with their federal counterparts. Probably some luck. And, among everyone involved, it took a slightly crazy, seemingly unjustified optimism that somehow a solution was possible. /more/
-
The line's open; first let's talk Arkansas governor 2014
April 23, 2013The line is open. What'll we do now that the legislature's done? /more/
-
Prospects good for steel mill subsidies
March 29, 2013Sounds like this turkey is cooked. Direct support by House Speaker Davy Carter and slightly qualified support by Senate President Michael Lamoureux would make it appear Gov. Mike Beebe is going to get his big state subsidy to help a startup steel mill operation in Mississippi County, despite stout opposition from an existing competitor that cranked up here without such millions in taxpayer help. /more/
-
Connectivity: Business and governance by citizen legislature
March 27, 2013Little attention has been given to an interesting little story Michael Cook wrote about the other day in Talk Business. /more/
-
Hmmmm. Tone change on analysis of tort reform
March 26, 2013Funny. I wrote yesterday about a sharp analysis of the legal impact of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce's proposed constitutional amendment on "tort reform," which would strip the Arkansas Supreme Court of rule-making authority in damage lawsuits. /more/
-
Elliott files bill to close tuition gap for undocumented students
March 11, 2013As promised, Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock) has filed a bill that would allow undocumented students — many of whom, as David Koon described in a recent cover story, were brought here as small children and know no other country — an opportunity to receive in-state tuition rates at state colleges. /more/
-
Putting the genie back in the bottle
February 28, 2013As they came into their leadership roles following the 2012 elections, the moderate, young GOP leaders of the House and Senate emphasized that they expected the current legislative session to be focused on the bread-and-butter issues of economic development, tax policy and Medicaid. In short, they indicated that they wanted to be Republican versions of Mike Beebe, a governor whom House Speaker Davy Carter regularly holds up as the best in the state's history. /more/
- More »
Comments (9)
Showing 1-9 of 9
More by Lindsey Millar
-
The Nate Bell's Itchy Twitter Fingers Edition
The passage of Medicaid expansion and the final days of the Arkansas General Assembly, Nate Bell on Twitter, Mike Ross’s moderate message and Mark Pryor’s gun votes — all covered on this week's edition.
- Apr 19, 2013
-
Matthew Bell readies Oxford American restaurant
It'll serve what he calls "refined Southern" fare.
- Feb 28, 2013
- More »
Event Calendar
-
Re: Davy Carter: 'I don’t know if the Republican party in a primary is willing to elect a guy like me'
Judy L
Keep your conspiracy theories straight.
The conspiracy was Pryor got his…- on May 18, 2013
-
Re: Republicans hit Pryor on IRS union contribution
Mark Pryor and the IRS are good buddies. How do you think Pryor got his…
- on May 18, 2013
-
Re: Davy Carter: 'I don’t know if the Republican party in a primary is willing to elect a guy like me'
You have to wonder from his speech if Carter has aspirations for some other high…
- on May 18, 2013
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Slideshows
-
May 16, 2013
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
