Arkansas Politics: Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times

UPDATE: FBI confirms State Treasurer Martha Shoffner's arrest, apparently for official misconduct

Max Brantley — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:45:30 -0500

The shoe drops. This mug shot of Democratic state Treasurer Martha Shoffner appeared on the Pulaski County sheriff's office jail intake page late this afternoon. (She looked a little distracted when I saw her looking over the cottage cheese in a case at Kroger's earlier this week.) Sorry: I originally called her auditor incorrectly. I have many calls out for more information.

Shoffner has been under scrutiny for a variety of issues including charges of favoritism in handling of state investments with a securities firm and also in sloppy reporting and spending of state campaign finance money. She's been subject, too, of a tough legislative audit and Republicans have been calling for her to resign.

UPDATE: I"ve heard from Kimberly Brunell, agent in charge of the Little Rock office of the FBI. She's circumspect:

I can tell you that FBI agents today arrested Martha Shoffner on Hobbs Act charges.

Brunell said there'd be more information at a news conference Monday, probably following Shoffner's appearance in a U.S. magistrate's court. She'll remain jailed until then.

I tried to press Brunell, but she said she couldn't provide details. She did say, in response to my question of whether campaign finance or official conduct figured in the charges, that I should look to the portion of the Hobbs Act that refers to "extortion under color of official rights." Said Brunell: "That was the part she was charged under." Then she said no more.

Here's what you need to know about the Hobbs Act. Excerpt:

In order to show a violation of the Hobbs Act under this provision, the Supreme Court recently held that "the Government need only show that a public official has obtained a payment to which he was not entitled, knowing that the payment was made in return for official acts."

I guess you could still argue, knowing nothing of the facts underlying this arrest, that this still could pertain to campaign contributions in return for official acts, as well as payments of some sort for investment decisions. Monday should be interesting.

Republicans are popping champagne corks. Justifiably,

UPDATE II: a spokesman for Gov. Beebe says they have no comment. They know nothing beyond press reports.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Partisan justice: Court candidate Wood gets tout from GOP's Curtis Coleman

Max Brantley — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:42:00 -0500

I've written here and in last week's column about the lingering taste of partisanship in supposedly non-partisan Arkansas judicial races, as exhibited recently by Court of Appeals Judge Rhonda Wood, who's expected to run for the Arkansas Supreme Court next year.

In that vein, check a YouTube of extremist Republican gubernatorial candidate Curtis Coleman talking of the need to build a "farm team" to elect the right sorts of people in three coming races for Supreme Court. He named one candidate he believed in — Rhonda Wood. "Solid and sound," Coleman said. A Coleman seal of approval is just about as big a disincentive to vote for Wood as I could imagine.

Speaking of Curtis Coleman: I learned this morning that some jokester had submitted a $1,000 pledge to Coleman's Institute for Constitutional Policy in my name. But then I was informed by a followup e-mail that the Institute was not currently accepting contributions. He's claimed it is a registered nonprofit, though it hasn't attained that official tax deductible status yet (giving him the chance to blame it all on the IRS, naturally). Good thing he's not registered yet. 501c3s are not supposed to engage in political advocacy, such as touting a candidate for Supreme Court. Or the Institute leader's own candidacy for governor.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Friday finish — An oldie but goodie for legislature? A rebuttal for Tom Cotton

Max Brantley — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:31:00 -0500

The line is open. Final thoughts:

* SCHOOL LEADER NAMED: Tom Kimbrell, the state Education director, has named Curtis Turner, superintendent at Eureka Springs, to take over leadership of the Mineral Springs School District. The state took control of the district yesterday because of fiscal woes. Turner has a long resume of school work, including in the fiscal distress unit of the state department.

* POLITICAL RUMOR: Stephen Smith of Fayetteville says he's been encouraged to make a run for state House of Representatives in 2014 for the seat currently held by Rep. Greg Leding. Heh. Smith was one of the rabble-rousing advisors to Bill Clinton during his first term as governor, a former state legislator with a record of some provocations, a UA prof and union rep, husband of former Fayetteville legislator Lindsley Smith and generally not exactly recalcitrant. Heh.

* DECONSTRUCTING TOM COTTON: Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Club for Growth) is right proud of the speech he gave on the floor of the House in support of the 37th or 99th vote by Republicans to repeal Obamacare (that very odious program that Arkansas Republicans just embraced for its money and benefits to Arkies.) It was a bravura performance in fundamental dishonesty, in that he seemd to want to paint the Democrats as Medicare cutters when he's on the fringe of the Paul Ryan Nutpack that would devastate the country's social safety net.

His performance was so galling to one supporter of Obamacare and of the man Cotton seems poised to attack in 2014, Sen. Mark Pryor, that he provided a line-by-line critique of Cotton's remarks. Recommended:

Cotton speech, with response in italics:

"Every time Cato the Elder spoke in the Roman senate he said: ‘Whatever the topic Carthage must be destroyed.' As long as Carthage survived the freedom and prosperity of the Roman people would never be secure. "As then with Carthage, so now with ‘Obamacare': as long as it remains on the books the health, prosperity, and freedom of the American people will never be secure.

Study by Rand Corp commissioned by state says will bring coverage to 400,000 Arkansans, prevent 2,300 deaths, and create 6,200 jobs in Arkansas.

"‘Obamacare' raided $700 billion from Medicare meaning seniors across Arkansas will have their health care rationed as doctors refuse to see any new Medicare patients.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) made certain reductions in provider reimbursements in Medicare. Largely health providers agreed to accept these cuts with the understanding they would be treating fewer uninsured patients. When Tom Cotton voted for the House budget resolution, he also voted in favor of the same $700 billion in Medicare spending reductions included in the ACA.

"‘Obamacare' creates an unelected and unaccountable panel of bureaucrats to ration and deny needed medical care to Arkansas seniors.

The board he is referring to may be asked to make recommendations to improve Medicare solvency in the future if Congress fails in its responsibility to hold costs down. However the board is specifically “barred from changing Medicare’s benefits or increasing cost-sharing.”

ObamaCare will cause insurance premiums to skyrocket by as much as 60 to 100 percent for Arkansas families.

The often criticized study that produced this statistic was only looking at the “individual market,” which only provides health coverage to 5% of Arkansans. This is the market where insurers currently offer skimpy health care packages and deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions. Income related subsidies will be available to the vast majority of Arkansans purchasing coverage in this market, and CBO says premiums for such individuals will be reduced by 56% to 59%.

"‘Obamacare' raises 21 taxes by more than $1 trillion will cost at least $1.7 trillion in the first decade alone. ObamaCare violates our freedom of conscience by using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.
"‘Obamacare' is corrupt to its rotten core.

Not true. The last time CBO scored a bill to repeal the ACA, they said repeal would increase the deficit by $109 billion and the most recent vote is likely to have even higher costs. The House Republican Budget Tom Cotton voted for kept these tax increases in place. Arkansans will receive $850,000,000 in tax credits to help make health coverage more affordable according to the Rand Corporation study the state commissioned.

"The government exempted hundreds of the president's cronies from the law.

Simply not true. Such exemptions have not been granted.

The secretary of Health and Human Services is right now shaking down private companies for millions of dollars to promote ‘Obamacare.'

She has had phone conversations in a private capacity urging insurers to fund non-profit groups that will be helping people sign up for health coverage.

And, of course, the IRS - expanded by 2,000 agents - will be the main enforcement agency for ‘Obamacare'; the very IRS that we now know targets the president's political opponents for harassment and intimidation.

Much of the new IRS staffing is actually to deliver the tax credits that will help families purchase coverage.

"‘Obamacare' must be repealed.

"I urge the Congress to repeal this abominable law. And, I urge the American people to throw out of office every politician that voted for it three years ago."

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Davy Carter: 'I don’t know if the Republican party in a primary is willing to elect a guy like me'

David Ramsey — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:16:00 -0500

House Speaker Davy Carter is not running for governor, which took a significant amount of sizzle out of his speech at the Political Animals Club today (Carter himself told reporters “I had to give a different speech than I had planned”). Carter was loose and funny — he opened with a Letterman-style Top Ten Reasons I’m Not Running For Governor. Best entries: “#10 Do not want anyone to find out that I’m the ghostwriter of Nate Bell’s twitter account” and “#2 Gov. Beebe and I are secretly working with Johnny Allison, the federal government, Michael Moore, George Clooney, and the former KGB to take our conspiracy tour around the other 49 states to secretly implement Obamacare under this clever and disguised name of the ‘private option.’”

Carter has improved as a public speaker pretty dramatically over the course of the last five months and he would be a formidable candidate in a general election. On nearly every issue he has voted as a standard Arkansas Republican, but he has a knack for non-substantive, stylistic appeals to the center (publicly cussing former Rep. Jon Hubbard, tussling with Sen. Bryan King, reprimanding Rep. Nate Bell, urging a focus on bread-and-butter economic issues rather than hot-button social issues). Today's speech was no exception, with a call for "more elected officials from the middle and less from the fringe."

I suspect there are a good number of center-right voters that pulled the lever for Beebe in general elections that would find Carter appealing. The problem is getting to the general, and Carter acknowledged that he would have had a tough road in a Republican primary. That was one factor in his decision, he said.

Talking to consultants on how things would need to be done in the traditional way to win a Republican primary...I’m who I am. I don’t know if the Republican party in a primary is willing to elect a guy like me. I don’t know. Certainly I thought about all that.

The main substance of his speech today, by the way, was devoted to political process issues. Carter expressed strong disapproval of term limits and support for the idea of an open primary system — no division by parties, top two finishers move to the general. Of course, whatever the merits of those ideas, let us note the obvious: they would be a boon to the political future of one Davy Carter.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Republicans hit Pryor on IRS union contribution

Max Brantley — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:23:00 -0500

Easy score. Arkansas Republican Party says U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor should return political contributions he's received from the union that represents Treasury Department employees, which include IRS workers.

How can he hold the IRS accountable as a recipient of $11,000, the GOP asks.

This is fair game, but it can be played without cease against every candidate that takes contributions, meaning all of them.

How will Rep. Tom Cotton hold big business in America accountable when he's a wholly owned subsidiary of the Club for Growth?

How will a congressman whose treasury is stuffed with defense contractor money hold them accountable?

The money always carries a taint. Today, it's the IRS (if, of course, you also first presume every single IRS employee is corrupt, including, presumably, the inspector general who produced the report highlighting mismanagement in the agency.) The politicians who got elected with the help of stealth 501c4 money (most of them Republicans) can't be viewed as too likely to insist on proper enforcement of tax laws on these groups, can they now?

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Davy Carter won't make race for governor

Max Brantley — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:08:00 -0500

It was fun while it lasted. House Speaker Davy Carter won't make a Republican race for governor. Asa Hutchinson, Rep. Debra Hobbs and Curtis Coleman, at least, will fight it out for the nomination.

Instead, Carter has taken a banking executive position. (See jump for news release.) He'll be executive vice president of Home Bancshares. He previously was a division president for Centennial Bank in Cabot, part of the Home banking group.

His statement this morning:

After much deliberation, I have decided against a campaign for Governor at this time. In the past weeks I have had many calls of encouragement and offers of support from fellow Republicans, Independents and yes, even Democrats, all of which I very much appreciate. I love this state and I love public service. Although I will be returning to the private sector, I will find ways to remain involved in public service in Arkansas in the years ahead.

As several have noted, an open call this week by Carter for some moderation on the Republican Party's press for gun and abortion issues (and he's also viewed by some GOPers as squishy on religious issues) was not a particularly effective way to set the tone for a GOP primary. It makes him an appealing crossover candidate, but will dog him forever, I'd say, on any future Republican ambitions.

Mike Ross and Bill Halter, so far, are the sole combatants on the Democratic side. Carter's decision is a benefit to the Democratic nominee. The likelihood is that the winner — and you'd have to make Ross the favorite at this point — will face Asa Hutchinson, three times a loser in statewide races.

NEWS RELEASE

Conway, AR — Home BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: HOMB), parent company of Centennial Bank, has named Davy Carter Executive Vice President. Carter formerly served as Division President for Centennial Bank in Cabot and he remains a member of the Centennial Bank Board in Cabot. He will report to Randy Sims, CEO of
Home BancShares.

“We are extremely pleased that Davy is returning to our corporate family. It is a unique and exciting opportunity to have someone with his experience and knowledge join our leadership team.” said Sims.

Carter is the current Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, where he is serving his third term.

“This is a great opportunity and I’m excited to be back with the Centennial Bank and Home BancShares family. I look forward to being a part of this outstanding corporation and its executive leadership team,” said Carter.

Carter is a graduate of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with a bachelor’s degree in finance. In addition, he holds a Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's William H. Bowen School of Law and is an alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

“Davy brings more than a decade of financial experience to Home BancShares, including his years with Centennial Bank. His outstanding leadership skills and strong community ties will help further build upon our reputation for strength and service,” said John W. Allison, chairman of Home BancShares. Carter and his wife Cara reside in Cabot with their three children Jackson, John David and Anna Claire.

Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financi

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Guns and the governorship: Asa Hutchinson continues to front for NRA

Max Brantley — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:44:00 -0500

In for a penny ....

Asa Hutchinson, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, seems happy to be indelibly branded as the NRA's front man on guns as the calendar rolls toward the May gubernatorial primary. And why not, given the recent gunfest legislative session?

Says here that he'll debate Sarah Brady May 27 on gun control in a program in California moderated by Leon Panetta. Brady chairs the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Her husband, Ronald Reagan's press secretary, was shot in the 1981 Reagan assassination attempt

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

James Lee Witt endorses Mike Ross for governor

Max Brantley — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:34:00 -0500

Does the endorsement of James Lee Witt, Bill Clinton's FEMA director, now a bigtime lobbyist/consultant, help Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross? Surely it will in Wildcat Holler.

Or is Bill Halter's Arkansas Promise more of a winner?

Release follows:

James Lee Witt of Dardanelle, Ark., former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under President Clinton, has endorsed Mike Ross for Governor. Witt is also the former director of the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services (now the Department of Emergency Management) and a former long-time Democratic Yell County judge. Ross, a former small business owner, state senator and U.S. Congressman, is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of Arkansas.

“Mike Ross is a battle-tested leader with a history of pushing politics aside, rolling up his sleeves and finding commonsense, practical and bipartisan solutions that tackle the challenges at hand,” said Witt. “I have known Mike Ross for many years as a state senator, U.S. Congressman and as a friend and he is a workhorse with a long history of results for the people of Arkansas. I have seen governors tested in crisis situations and know what it takes, and I know Mike Ross is the type of strong, steady leader who will serve Arkansas well as its next governor.”

“James Lee Witt served our state and nation with integrity and I am honored to have his support,” said Mike Ross. “When James Lee arrived at FEMA in 1993 with President Clinton, he turned the embattled agency around making it the most effective it has ever been in its history. James is the model public servant and has made Arkansas proud, and I will always deeply value his advice and counsel.”

“When I’m elected governor, I will work day and night to fight for the people of Arkansas and focus on our future — preparing for the challenges and opportunities that await this great state,” said Ross.

Ross has previously been endorsed by the Southern States Millwright Regional Council and the Central South Carpenters Regional Council, affiliates that represent more than 10,000 carpenters, and the Arkansas Professional Fire Fighters, along with numerous business owners, community leaders and working families around the state.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Arkansas graded F on independent political spending disclosure

Max Brantley — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:32:00 -0500

The least surprising news of the day, but useful confirmation nonetheless. A new report from the National Institute on Money in State Politics about most states' failure to require meaningful disclosure of independent spending in state political races.

In 30 states it is impossible to calculate how much money is being spent on campaigns by outside groups like 'social welfare' nonprofits - information that is mostly available when it comes to federal contests.

And in 35 states, disclosure laws are less stringent than federal election laws, meaning shadowy nonprofit groups and big-spending super PACs are able to do business virtually undetected in many races, according to a new report.

Dark money rules here. Think the Koch front, Americans for Prosperity, but, by comparison with some, it is somewhat upfront about its efforts.

Arkansas was one of 26 states getting a grade of F on requiring disclosure of campaign spending. And the rankings didn't even consider the anonymity of the contributors to many of the groups that spend "dark money." The Institute notes:

Increasingly, ''social welfare'' nonprofits and trade associations are being used to hide donors' identities in both federal and state races.

Here's the scorecard, with points awarded in six categories. Arkansas got a zero in five of them, but was awarded the maximum 30 points for requiring reporting of independent expenditures that expressly advocate an election outcome, but not who was targeted by the expenditures or what the spender's position is. It got a zero for having no reporting requirement on electioneering communications.

Ask your Republican majority legislator if he or she would endorse fuller reporting of independent campaign expenditures.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Guns and fetuses: A legislative review

Max Brantley — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:43:00 -0500

Crazy Davy Carter, the House speaker who is a potential Republican candidate for governor, won headlines all over today for remarks at a legislative conference in Hot Springs that Republicans need to move beyond guns and abortion to focus on issues more important to average Arkies.

This from a man who voted for all the fetus and firearm legislation, some of it patently unconstitutional, approved in the recent legislative session.

I think I'll pull a Bro. Rapert on Crazy Davy. Today's Bible sword drill:

Proverbs 26:11

You could look it up. In the context it means you haven't heard the last of gun waving, fetal fascination, gay bashing or force feeding of religion from Arkansas Republicans and I think Carter is smart enough to know it, but was playing to the press peanut gallery.

(Oh, OK, I won't make you look it up: "Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.")

I have actually developed a contrarian view of legislative events of late. It is that there's been entirely too much focus — by me and others — on the social issue claptrap that generated so much heat. The bigger story of the legislature was the fundamental reordering of government begun swiftly and forcefully by the new Republican majority. Executive power was diminished. Tax cuts were tailored almost exclusively to benefit the wealthy (Crazy Davy's blanket exemption on capital gains for the very wealthiest transactions gets the Walton Family MVP trophy). The adoption of Obamacare masked an attack on conventional Medicaid that will have devastating impact in years to come if the so-called private option falters. The legislative auditing arm is being put to use in political vendettas. Republican lobbying was critical in defeating a bill that would have prevented the forced retirement of some older judges Republicans like Rhonda Wood wanted to see go home to make room for their ascension. Through "special language," which is a democracy-defying trick, a private company that makes millions off serving home schoolers got a huge windfall (thanks, Johnny Key). The Walton-financed attack on the public schools didn't advance as far as their lobbyist Luke Gordy hoped, but they have the money and will to play the long game. There was much more organic damage, particularly in election process tinkering aimed at depressing turnout by Democratic constituencies. Republicans would have neutered the attorney general's office, but pulled back in part because they realized they might control that office someday, too.

All in all, I kind of wish the session really HAD been all about guns and fetuses. Bad as that legislation was, it was mostly sound and fury signifying little. The abortion bills will be struck down in court. We already had law and constitution heavily weighted against women's medical rights. Similarly, Arkansas already was about as permissive as possible on gun law. Advances in gun nuttery were mostly on the margins, except for the legal trick bag by which the zanies think they've totally deregulated weapon carrying. Maybe they did. It's still of far less concern than the tectonic movement toward a strangled government run for the wealthy without regard for women's rights; ethnic, racial, religious or sexual minorities, or, of course, Democrats. Speaker Carter was on board with all this, by the way, so you'll excuse me if I grab the salt when I read the wide-eyed accounts of his moderation.

But more bodacious than Carter was Rep. John Burris, who asserted that Democratic legislators really wanted the Medicaid expansion to fail and had worked to that end. It was left to Democratic Rep. Fred Love to inject honesty and salient facts into the discussion. How, he noted, can you say Democrats worked to defeat legislation that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM VOTED FOR?

Faith has always trumped facts in the Republican order of battle. Prepare for more.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Ron Fuller to leave ABC Board

Max Brantley — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:54:00 -0500

Ron Fuller, a Little Rock lobbyist and former Republican legislator, is resigning June 1 from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board after 16 years as an appointee of both a Republican and a Democratic governor. He supported Mike Beebe.

Fuller drew heat on occasion for being part of an ABC vanguard that oversaw a dramatic expansion of "private club" permits in previously dry counties at establishments that look for all the world like conventional restaurants with booze.

I have left a message for Fuller. I'm curious if his lobbying business might expand into the beverage realm. The recent death of Andy Crawford means there's an opening for a representative for retail liquor stores.

UPDATE: I reached Fuller by phone. He brought up Crawford himself. He said he had no specific plans on the horizon, but said Crawford's son, Drew, had planned to pick up some of his father's work. "I told Drew I wold be glad to act as his wingman and give him non-paid advice. I can't give good advice and be a regulator," he said. But he also said he thought the time had come for him to step aside and that he thought the alcoholic beverage business had made positive strides during his tenure.

On political matters, Fuller said he wasn't ready to commit generally on where he'd stand in the 2014 gubernatorial race but he certainly supported Asa Hutchinson in the Republican primary.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Fact: Speaker Davy Carter made it up as he went along

Max Brantley — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:56:00 -0500

The media's rapture with House Speaker Davy Carter continues. Latest is a gushing profile of Carter at the top of Talk Business' 10 Best Legislators list.

Carter is a political operator, no doubt about that. He snookered Democrats into supporting his rump run for speaker then presided over a legislative session in which Republicans got everything they wanted, including Obamacare Medicaid expansion in a deal that gave Republicans the credit and the spin that they'd fixed something President Obama had broken, (as opposed to having passed over huge obstacles and providing enormous financial benefit to Arkansas.)

I can't claim credit for noting this, but it's a good observation. Carter also has been hailed as a tax cutter. I've said all along he hasn't gotten nearly the (dis)credit he deserves for tax cuts overwhelmingly weighted to the ultrarich and done without regard to state needs (particularly in the future) or anything like the zero-based budgeting that you might engage in before a whopping tax cut. Don't believe me. Read on for Carter's own account of how he personally saved the day:

“I thought we were in a bad place within the House amongst the members, in the public, with the media, I had to do something to change the dynamics,” Carter said. “I had a pity party that Friday night, worked my way out of that over the weekend, and thought I’d come back and shake it up a bit.

The following Tuesday Carter gave his famous “half-time speech,” where he quickly made rounds in three committees — Judiciary, Public Health, and Revenue & Tax. He implored all three panels to get off the social issues and get to the fiscal side of the session’s business.

“In hindsight, I think it worked. We weren’t talking about all of those things. We were talking about how crazy Davy Carter was for calling for $150 million in tax cuts,” Carter recalled. He also admits that walking down the capitol steps from the House that morning, he was planning on asking for $100 million in tax cuts, but $150 million rolled off his tongue at the Revenue and Tax Committee table.

Got that? Crazy Davy pulled that tax cut figure right out of the place where the sun doesn't shine. Based on nothing. Just a nice big, semi-round, easy-to-demagogue number.

If this is the best we've got, we truly are screwed. Please note, too, that his call to turn attention away from all those "social issues" came after all the nutty stuff was well on its way to passage, WITH Crazy Davy's votes.

The rest of the Top 10: Lamoureux, Burris, Collins, Dismang, Elliott, Key, Leding, Sabin, Sanders.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Debra Hobbs to enter Republican race for governor

Max Brantley — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:36:23 -0500

I posted a note the other day that indicated state Rep. Debra Hobbs of Rogers was giving prayerful consideration to a run for governor.

She apparently got the answer. She's in, AP reports. Formal announcement next month. She's another hard-core conservative to go with Curtis Coleman in the primary against Asa Hutchinson, the presumed frontrunner, who manages to look moderate by comparison.

She's term limited, so what the hey?

And, hey. Wonder if this helps Davy Carter get in the race? In a three-way battle for the extremist Republican vote (if that's not repetitious), might there be a possibility of a surprise?

PS — News accounts quote Hobbs as saying God wanted her to enter the race. How come the reporters missed the obvious followup question: Did He tell her she was going to win?

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Praying over gubernatorial candidacy

Max Brantley — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:34:53 -0500

Yes, please.

Hobbs is a Republican backbencher who drew legislative notice mostly for negative reasons. She hated the idea of providing continuing state help to cover the costs of tests for people seeking high school equivalency diplomas.

She also famously suggested that if the woman who cleaned her house would just put in some more work she could pay for her child's health insurance without resorting to the government-financed ARKids program.

I thought Curtis Coleman already had nailed down the vote from those who like this sort of thinking. He better gear up.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Block that cliche: Beebe on the 2014 race for governor

Max Brantley — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:59:00 -0500

Channel 4 has posted an interview with Gov. Mike Beebe on the race to succeed him in 2014: Variously, he said:

* It will be a "donnybrook."

* It will be a "dogfight."

* It will be a good opportunity for candidates to "present who they are."

* "Curve balls" will be thrown.

* "The scripted part is less important than the way a candidate responds to unforeseen circumstances."

* Also, the item said, the campaign "will test candidate's 'metal' by fire."

Sounds like they all better don full mettle jackets.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

How can Tim Griffin play both sides of pipeline question

Max Brantley — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:09:54 -0500

U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin finds himself in an increasingly untenable position on pipelines.

He darn near ran for re-election on pipelines, using every opportunity to depict himself in a yard full of pipeline materials and making the review process on the Keystone XL pipeline very nearly the sole answer to U.S. economic vitality.

Now that the ExxonMobil pipeline has spewed tar sands on Mayflower and Arkansas has gotten an up-close look at inadequate environmental guards on that line and the company's failure to answer pertinent questions or provide damaged property owners with quick and clear paths to restoration of what they've lost, he's left floundering with "concern." But not from Tim Griffin do you hear the tough and pertinent questions that, for example, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has raised.

In the Griffin world, benefit of the doubt goes to oil companies. They'll do right. Trust them. But really. How can Tim Griffin advocate strenuously for building the Keystone XL pipeline through a sensitive aquifer in Nebraska while he says ExxonMobil should move its ruptured Pegasus pipeline out of the watershed of Little Rock's water supply, Lake Maumelle? What is Nebraska to Tim Griffin? Chopped liver.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Inside Climate Newstakes note under a story headlined "Rep. Griffin Wants Exxon Pipeline Relocated, but Keystone Is a 'No-Brainer'"

"What's good for Arkansas is good for Nebraska," anti-Keystone activist Jane Kleeb said in an email. "Rep. Griffin showed courage and common sense asking Exxon to move the tar sands pipeline away from the water. The same request should apply to all pipelines, especially Keystone XL that lies [in] the Ogallala aquifer and crosses over 200 bodies of water and family wells."

Author and environmental activist Bill McKibben had a more succinct response to Griffin's position: "Always nice when people are willing to let others run risks they'd prefer to spurn."

...Ken Winston, a policy advocate with Nebraska's Sierra Club, said the congressman's stance on Keystone—which would carry almost 10 times as much oil as the Pegasus line—simply isn't consistent with his pledge to protect Arkansas' water.

"If we're going to keep one pipeline away from a watershed or aquifer, it makes sense to keep one that's 10 times as big out of a larger and potentially more valuable aquifer," Winston said.

Griffin's office did not return requests for comment about the congressman's contradictory positions on the Keystone and Pegasus pipelines.

Speaking of Inside Climate News: Here's another Arkansas angle. It delves deeply into the blithe assurances, from both some state officials and Exxon, that carcinogens in the air are below levels that pose a health threat. Attorney General McDaniel has raised questions similar to the following:

Despite these reassurances, residents have suffered headaches, nausea and vomiting—classic symptoms of short-term exposure to the chemicals found in crude oil.

"Figuring out how to protect people after a disaster like this is very hard," said Aaron Bernstein, a public health expert and associate director of Harvard's Center for Health and the Global Environment. "People living near the spill early on could definitely have gotten sick" from the concentrations present in the air.

Much of the attention is focused on airborne levels of benzene, a known carcinogen that is toxic at very low doses. But crude oil also contains hundreds of other chemicals, and for some of these compounds, little is known about their effects on human health.

Given the gaps in scientific research, public health experts say it's hard to know what levels of exposure are safe.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

A.M. Report: A confederacy of stooges and a money quest

Max Brantley — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:22:12 -0500

Some other odds and ends that floated in overnight:

* JOHN BOOZMAN, STOOGE OF THE NIGHT: I can't find a clip yet, but multiple readers report that U.S. Sen. John Boozman joined Sen. Mark Pryor in David Letterman's pantheon of "stooges of the night" for his vote against broadening background checks for gun purchasers.

* JUSTICE AND MERCY: Gov. Mike Beebe has been famously stingy in granting pardons and commutations to applicants. Yesterday, he recommended a rare sentence commutation. He recommended a reduction of a life sentence to a term of 103 years, which will make the prisoner, now being held in California, eligible for parole in two more years. She's served 23 years so far for selling two rocks of crack cocaine to an undercover officer in Smackover in 1990. It is no exaggeration to say murderers and rapists have served less time.

* MIKE ROSS' TREASURE HUNT: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross has always been a fearsome money raiser. He's promised to file an initial report somewhere near what Democratic candidate Bill Halter and Republican candidate Asa Hutchinson combined to raise in their first reports. His unceasing phone work is one way he gets the job done. Another is fund-raisers such as this one next week at Vince Insalaco's North Little Rock home. List of "hosts" below. An interesting mix of political, liberal, business and lobby names.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Charlie Daniels — our Charlie Daniels — to retire

Max Brantley — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:42:00 -0500

State Auditor Charlie Daniels, a nearly eternal state officeholder, is hanging it up. He won't seek re-election in 2014, he announced today. He'd previously served as land commissioner (five terms) and secretary of state (two terms). He's 73 and won 70 percent of the vote in 2010, but says he's ready to retire.

This further opens the field to a Republican challenger in reddening Arkansas. Republican State Rep. Andrea Lea has said she might run. A Republican even more conservative than Lea, Ken Yang of Benton, is already in the race.

Daniels' name, the same as that of a well-known country musician, has always been credited for his electoral success, but he also was a capable politician with roots deep in what was once a one-party state. It was not name alone that made him the biggest vote getter of the 2002 election cycle, when he won re-election as secretary of state against a challenge by then-First Lady Janet Huckabee. (That might have also had something to do with his opponent.)

Daniels' news release follows:

State Auditor Charlie Daniels says he will not seek re-election when his term expires in 2014. Daniels, a Democrat from Bryant, was elected Auditor of State in 2010 with 70% of the vote, and is currently serving in his first term. Under Arkansas’ constitution Daniels is eligible for a second four-year term, but says after nearly four decades of public service, he is ready to retire. Daniels will turn 74 in December.

Related: Statement by Auditor Daniels

Recalling a career in elected office that began in 1985, Daniels says he has witnessed an enormous evolution in technology in the public sector, changes that offer new and innovative ways to connect with the citizens he serves, and says he’s proud of the services he has been able to bring online. “When we first started in the Land Office, we didn’t even have computers. All of our work was done manually. Today, we offer a way for people to claim their missing money on a mobile phone. Almost everything we do today is electronic. People expect to do business online, and it’s been my goal to meet those expectations.”

As examples, he points to the creation of Voter View, an online resource for voters to view their ballot and polling place, and the launch of online business and commercial services applications such as online franchise tax payment, as two of the more significant and wide-reaching improvements he made during his eight-year tenure as Secretary of State. As Auditor, his office recently launched an e-Filing system for unclaimed property, and connects more and more with constituents through social media and Smartphone applications.

Daniels, who has occupied an office in the Capitol for over 30 years, says his work as Secretary of State in preserving and maintaining the Capitol Building provided some of the greatest rewards of his career. “This building is such an incredible treasure for the people of Arkansas, and that’s always how I thought of it — as the people’s building. My staff used to joke that I would pull weeds out of the flower bed myself and that I had been known to be critical of a wax job on the floor. I took a lot of pride in protecting the Capitol and making it more accessible to visitors.” His administration supervised the renovation of the east entry promenade to the building, repaired bases of all the monuments on the grounds, and turned the first floor of the Capitol into a state-of-the-art visitor’s center.

The offices Daniels held have required close working relationships with county elected officials, and he points to the consensus-building with county clerks and county election commissioners during the implementation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) as one of his proudest accomplishments. “HAVA required us to change everything we knew about the mechanics of elections. We had to change all the voting machines and get the 75 county clerks on board with a new statewide voter registration system. It was tough, and we didn’t always agree. But we made it work together.”

Under Daniels’ tenure as land commissioner, the office went from generating $300,000 to $12 million in annual revenue, and he was the first commissioner to begin a program for preservation of historic land records kept by the office. His service on the Arkansas Natural & Cultural Resources Council gave him an opportunity to be involved with the preservation of historic sites throughout Arkansas, and oversight of the state’s submerged lands afforded unique opportunities for preservation and care of Arkansas’ natural resources. “Probably my fondest memory in that regard was the discovery of the sunken steamboat that emerged along the banks of the Mississippi during the drought in 1987. It fell to our office to figure out how to best preserve the 19th century artifacts from the boat, which are on display today at Arkansas Tech University.”

As Director of the Labor Department, Daniels created the Office on Women in Work, created a pilot program providing grants to train women in non-traditional jobs, and hosted the first Governor's Conference on Women and Work. Under his leadership, the office became nationally recognized for its innovations in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) programs and Mine Safety and Health Administration programs to improve mining operations in Arkansas.

“I’ve always felt it was a marker of success when another state called my office for advice on imitating a program we’d created, which proved what I’ve always known —even though we’re a small state we are still innovators and leaders, and I’m proud that we’re still setting that standard in my office today,” Daniels said.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Do Arkansas Republicans have room for a centrist?

Max Brantley — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:15:58 -0500

Good article by the AP's Andrew DeMillo on House Speaker Davy Carter's consideration of running for governor.

The premise is whether there's room enough in the Republican middle for Carter to mount a winning primary campaign. His money quote (and it would be a campaign theme, I'd think, should he run because it suggests blind calculation and lack of principle on the part of opponents):

“It’s not worth it to me to go out and be someone I’m not to win anything,” Carter said.

The notion that Carter is a centrist is the best indication there is about the extreme orientation of the Republican Party of Arkansas (and all the other Deep South Republican states). Carter advocated Medicaid expansion. That's enough to make him poison to the Tea Party. But otherwise, he 1) supported the gun agenda slavishly, with the exception of open carry, a bit of nuttery too far for many others; 2) he voted down the line on the anti-woman abortion bills; 3) he engineered a bodacious tax cut for multi-millionaires; 4) he gave the definitive vote on constitutionally suspect legislation aimed at cutting down black voting strength in Arkansas, 5) he waved through an anti-gay resolution. Only to Republican contenders Asa Hutchinson and Curtis Coleman is this the voting record of a centrist. On the other hand: Are GOP legislators John Burris, David Sanders and Jonathan Dismang centrists? They are widely credited, after all, with pushing Obamacare through the legislature with majority Republican support. Maybe they could form a Centrist Republicans for Davy organization. (PS: I meant this tongue in cheek.)

In the Republican context of today, centrist mostly means personally pleasant. These "centrists" don't rub it in gleefully (see your average gun nut) when they cram their ultraconservative agenda down the throats of middle-of-the-roaders and liberals.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

About those non-partisan justice system offices

Max Brantley — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:04:16 -0500

I wasn't much impressed by the legislation to end election of prosecutors through a partisan process. Republicans, particularly, have managed to retain a strong partisan flavor in offices removed from the partisan process (a change, which, in its early days, had the main intended benefit of cutting the flow of filing fees to the then-dominant Arkansas Democratic Party).

Take Court of Appeals Judge Rhonda Wood of Conway. She made headlines by using Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee as a robocaller for her election campaign.

Consider, too, the Arkansas Republican Party, which once put out a slate of recommended judicial candidates (just in case you didn't already knew which ones leaned toward the narrow and rigid Republican agenda.)

Lately, I've been noticing Judge Wood's Twitter feed, and those of others. (I've moved several of them down to the jump so as not to clutter up this page too much, but you'll see she turns up at Lincoln Day and Republican-themed events with other Republicans on a regular basis.) Typical is a tweet below to two Republican legislators about a Republican Party event in Baxter County.

I'll leave it to Faulkner County courthouse watchers to explain all the recent highly partisan intrigue involving Judges Wood and Judge Mike Maggio (another Republican event attendee mentioned on her tweets), Republican Prosecutor Cody Hiland and some recent prosecutions on the other side of the political fence in Conway. Judge Maggio is making rounds of same Republican events, by the way. A typical tweet from a full complement of Republican activities:

Then today came a tweet from Republican gubernatorial candidate Curtis Coleman:

Having lunch with @judgemikemaggio at the Van Buren Co Republican LincolnDay Luncheon.Need him on the Court of Appeals. @colemanforar
— Curtis Coleman (@curtiscoleman) April 27, 2013

What do you bet Maggio is prepping for a race for Court of Appeals should Wood make a move, as expected, for one of the coming openings on the Arkansas Supreme Court. Party labels? No need to worry about those anymore. And please: you should not let Huckabee endorsements, Lincoln Day dinner attendance, rapt attendance to Republican gubernatorial candidates or touts from Curtis Coleman make you think they'd be anything but purely independent and strictly nonpartisan in their rulings from the bench. Truth is, given the trend in Arkansas, they WANT you to know they're Republicans — through and through.

The new legislation to make prosecutors run independently will be just about as useful in removing partisan taint from their work. I tend to agree with the old Democratic judge, Wendell Griffen, that judges have a 1st Amendment right to say just about anything, including promote partisan candidates. Is it wise? Is it judicious? Does it build confidence in the system when they do so? You tell me. (That Maggio presumes to higher office is a shocker for more than partisan coloration.)

In Fayetteville tonight to hear Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 30, 2013

Asa Hutchinson speaking about the 2nd amendment in Cleburne County twitter.com/JudgeRhondaWoo…
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 28, 2013

@rpachairman who was the speaker
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 22, 2013

Judge Rhonda Woods shared with 2nd Congressional the importance of conservative judges #argop twitter.com/MaryBentley73/…
— Mary Bentley (@MaryBentley73) February 16, 2013

“@sen_lamoureux: Day 84.#arleg”and he's doing a great job for Arkansas
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 8, 2013

@senatorjkey tell @sen_lamoureux you need to get on the road for the Lincoln Day Dinner :)
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 6, 2013

Judge Womack and Judge Maggio in Baxter County great night twitter.com/JudgeRhondaWoo…
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 7, 2013

@judgemikemaggio thanks for driving
— JudgeRhondaWood (@JudgeRhondaWood) April 7, 2013

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Arkansas Republicans hate on Nancy Pelosi, in LR today

Max Brantley — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:12:58 -0500

The Arkansas Republican Party is positively thrilled that Nancy Pelosi is speaking in Little Rock today (noon at ~~Statehouse Convention~~ Robinson Center to accommodate an expected large crowd). If there's anything an Arkansas Republican hates more than the black Muslim from Kenya in the White House, it's the rhymes-with-witch former speaker from the City by the Gay.

Today's "welcoming" statement from the Arkansas GOP notes gleefully that U.S. Rep. Mike Ross voted for Pelosi for speaker when Democrats were in the majority. His votes were among the fairly rare praiseworthy moments in Ross' congressional tenure. The Republicans see it differently. "With that kind of judgment for Speaker, we can’t wait to see what Mike Ross plans for Arkansas,” said GOP Chair Doyle Webb.

(Aside: Webb — whose own record includes being rapped for misdeeds with an elderly woman's estate; getting called down by his sister over handling of his own mother's estate, and getting mired in a real estate bog in Benton — is now an arbiter on good judgment?)

What is it about Pelosi that inspires such animosity? It's real though and you can't expect Republicans not to capitalize on her low esteem in polling.

A writer for Politics Daily took a stab at it three years ago. (Yes, the hate burns long for Rep. Pelosi.)

She's a tough, well-organized manager with a stable family life and a record of delivering for her popular president.

...Still, for reasons that I can't fathom, maybe because I agree with many of Pelosi's positions, the attacks on the speaker often seem to me mysteriously personal and vicious. When I recently asked Politics Daily readers why she engendered such dislike, taking care to mention that I wanted civil responses, they hurled descriptions like "arrogant," "idiot" and "two-faced snake in the grass."

Her very success (and in a man's world), I think, is a big part of it. See the same intensity of feeling toward the Big Dog.

PS — Doyle Webb, a la the Huckster, is capitalizing on the National Day of Prayer with a statement. At least he seeks only political capital, not actual money, in his press release.

PPS — Those scheduled to attend Pelosi's speech today include the father of one of the children killed in the Connecticut school massacre. He's working in the campaign to pass stronger gun safety laws and has already had a phone conversation with U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor.

UPDATE WITH PELOSI QUOTE: "I pray that Hillary Clinton runs for president." She also praised Obamacare (health care should be a right, not a privilege, she said) and said the country had a moral responsibility and responsibility to children in weighing pipeline locations, such as Keystone XL.

UPDATE WITH LINK TO SOME HATERS: Want to see a car wreck of hate? Check comments on D-G's coverage of Pelosi remarks.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Overestimating the gun lobby — and conservatism generally

Max Brantley — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:46:00 -0500

Here's another look — lengthy and full of multiple poll citations — on the premise that it would NOT have been politically dangerous for the Fearful Four (Democrats Begich, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, Heitkamp, Baucus) to have allowed a vote on universal gun background checks.

Thomas Edsall makes a point I hit glancingly on the same subject this week. Politicians overestimate the size of the hard-right conservative bloc. This is certainly true in Arkansas, if you believe polling on a wide range of issues from abortion to drugs to guns. But it is an article of faith in Arkansas politics and I can't think of a local politician who won a race by a concerted run to the left (outside of Hillcrest or central Fayetteville, anyway).

Still, Edsall's numbers on the national mood on broad background checks is always worth repeating. And this based on recent academic research:

The Broockmany-Skovronz paper suggests that politicians left, right and center have been making decisions on the basis of mistaken premises about their voters. One hypothesis is that the roots of this misperception originated in the early 1980s, particularly with the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan, of a Republican Senate majority, and of a working conservative majority in the House.

Those events — followed by the 1994 and 2010 Republican landslides — stunned Democrats from Republican-leaning states, making them apprehensive. Fearing a conservative backlash, they were willing to shift their votes to the right.

The electorate has and will continue to punish liberal excess, but Democrats are only starting to recognize how voters have come to confront the liabilities and costs of conservatism. Democrats do not have a free hand to dole out tax-financed benefits to the liberal interest group community, but the likelihood that they will be punished for supporting common sense measures to contain gun violence is far less than it was two or three decades ago.

In the long run, the best hope for gun control advocates is the changing demographic make-up of the membership of their prime adversary, the National Rifle Association. Not only is the N.R.A. disproportionately dependent on older white men, a declining constituency, but strong majorities of current members, from 74 to 85 percent according to the polls cited above, defy the organization’s leadership and support background checks.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Must a GOP candidate be from Northwest Arkansas?

Jay Barth — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:23:00 -0500

Jay Barth, Hendrix politics prof and Times contributor, offers the following analysis on Republican primary voting patterns and what they could mean for a candidate from outside Northwest Arkansas, the historic GOP base in the state.

The evidence that House Speaker Davy Carter is seriously contemplating a run for the Republican nomination for Governor against a candidate, Asa Hutchinson, with proven vote-getting ability in Northwest Arkansas raises the fundamental question of whether a candidate from outside that region can win a Republican primary.

Just a handful of election cycles ago, the answer to the question would have been clear: candidates with a strong base in Northwest Arkansas — even if there were doubts about their statewide general election viability — could make it through a GOP primary. For instance, in 2006, state Senator Jim Holt crushed opponents from Central Arkansas and Northeast Arkansas in the GOP runoff for Lieutenant Governor, gaining over 56% of the vote and avoiding a primary.

A glance at the vote totals in the 2012 GOP primary, shown in the map above, shows that Northwest Arkansas does indeed remain the source of a great share of Republican votes. But, tremendous change has occurred in just a few years. As Republicanism has become more pronounced in the state, participation in the GOP primary has begun to spread across Arkansas. The combined vote in Pulaski County, the three heavily white suburban counties of Saline, Faulkner, and Lonoke (which Carter represents)and two adjoining counties (Garland and White) now approximates that of Northwest Arkansas. Moreover, significant chunks of votes are now found across the state. While GOP voters remain relatively rare in the Delta counties where Carter, originally from Marianna, came of age, decent sized votes can be found in the other corners of the state.

A candidate like Carter would have to run up huge margins in the Little Rock metropolitan area and develop an expansive statewide network that could provide him wins in the counties outside the corridor of counties running from Benton to Sebastian. It’s not an easy task for a candidate who’s never run for office outside of a small House district, but it’s achievable in a quickly expanding GOP electorate in Arkansas.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Blake Rutherford moves to McLarty Companies

Max Brantley — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:31:00 -0500

Blake Rutherford, who's been chief of staff to Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, is moving to the McLarty Companies to be a vice president advising on "communications, strategy and social responsibility." The companies include major auto retail operations.

McDaniel, in a statement praising Rutherford, said he'd be announcing a new chief shortly.

McLarty release and McDaniel statement follow:

MCLARTY RELEASE

The McLarty Companies today announced Blake Rutherford will be joining the organization as a vice president effective later this month. Rutherford will be responsible for advising the company and its affiliates on communications, strategy and corporate social responsibility. He will report to Chairman Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty and Senior Vice President Franklin McLarty.

Rutherford currently serves as chief of staff to Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, a position he has held since September 2010. He previously served as director of public communications for Stone Ward and as an attorney with Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP in Little Rock.

Senior Vice President Franklin McLarty said that Rutherford's experience in developing communications solutions and strategic initiatives in both the public and private sectors will be an asset moving forward.

"I have known Blake for many years, and I have watched his professional career develop as an attorney, a public relations executive, and recently as chief of staff to the Attorney General," McLarty said. "His experience will enhance our family business interests as we continue to grow in Arkansas and beyond."

"I have great respect for the McLartys and all they have been able to accomplish in business and public service," Rutherford said. "In this new role I look forward to being able to assist their talented team in achieving their business goals. I am very fortunate to have this opportunity."

Rutherford received his undergraduate degree in political science from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. He lives in Little Rock with his wife, Jessica Dean.

About The McLarty Companies

The McLarty Companies is a fourth-generation family holding company based in Little Rock, Arkansas with various business interests throughout the United States and abroad. Originally founded in 1921 as McLarty Leasing Systems, the McLarty Companies has grown to include the McLarty family's interest in Little Rock based RLJ-McLarty-Landers Automotive Holdings, one of the largest auto retailers in the nation as well as other business ventures.

MCDANIEL RELEASE

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued the following statement today upon the announcement of the departure of Chief of Staff Blake Rutherford:

“Blake’s energy and professionalism brought my administration unprecedented levels of success. I will be forever grateful for the thoughtful leadership he brought to the table directing our legislative agenda through two general sessions and one fiscal session. Blake earned trust and respect from legislators on both sides of the aisle and among our clients throughout state government.

“I relied on him as chief of staff to make our communications and public outreach efforts second to none. He skillfully handled many of the most important issues that have faced our office, including negotiating a landmark agreement on the Illinois River watershed and launching our first-ever Cyber Crimes Division.

“Blake is a great personal friend and a class act. I hate to see him leave, but I know he moves on to an exciting, new challenge in the private sector. Our loss is The McLarty Companies’ gain.”

McDaniel said a new chief of staff has already been selected, and he will announce the selection soon.

Rutherford is a Little Rock native and graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law. He has been the Attorney General’s chief of staff since September 2010.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

Tom Cotton burnishes his warhawk image

Max Brantley — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:57:00 -0500

"Media sweetheart" is how this piece in Politico puts it and they should know, having been pumping U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Club for Growth) since forever.

Somebody — gee, I wonder who? — leaked to Politico that Cotton had schooled Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on national security at a recent closed-door meeting of wingnuts.

Politico credits Cotton, without asterisk, for his fact-challenged critique of the Bush and Obama counterterrorism efforts. And touts the talk of him as the best challenger for U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor.

All of which has helped burnish Cotton’s aura as a GOP up-and-comer. Cotton says he hasn’t yet decided on a Senate bid, though Republicans close to him believe he is more likely than not to run. Leading Republicans are cheering him on with both short- and long-term political motives in mind.

Arizona Sen. John McCain and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Senate’s leading GOP hawks, have both reached out to Cotton to urge him into the 2014 Senate race, sources said — as have a dozen-plus other members of the chamber. (McCain spokesman Brian Rogers declined to comment on the recruitment efforts but wrote in an email: “Senator McCain has the highest regard for Tom Cotton.”)

The Weekly Standard, the flagship publication for national security conservatives, has obsessively promoted Cotton’s speeches and campaign activities. Cotton has been close with the Standard’s editor, Bill Kristol, since striking up a friendship over email while deployed in uniform, and introduced himself to the Washington community while stationed across the river in Fort Myer. Both the Standard and National Review ran long profiles of then-candidate Cotton in late October of 2012; NR’s Jay Nordlinger later conducted a lengthy public interview of Cotton at a January conference hosted by the magazine.

Is the House version of Lindsey Graham what Arkansas voters have ordered? Or might they show some reluctance to endorse a charisma-challenged hard-line small government adherent so heartless he'd deny disaster aid to storm victims?

Some think Lt. Gov. Mark Darr's karaoke act, whatever it lacks in intellectual heft, would make him a far more appealing candidate and thus a more dangerous challenger to Pryor. That may be why Darr continues to play coy about 2014 (and make a campaign-style stop in Mississippi County recently.) But I should have added originally that the most prevalent rumor about Darr is that he'll run for 4th District Congress if Cotton runs for Senate. He need not move into the district to make the race, but probably would, say teabagger heaven, Garland County.

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]