Arkansas Blog: Drum majors for ???? UPDATE

About the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. From today's Democrat-Gazette, it appears things have gone from bad -- lingering questions about expenditures in the past controversy-marred administration -- to worse:

The current director, DuShun Scarbrough, has been investigated in an insurance fraud case. No charges have been filed, but I wouldn't like to explain how I'd racked up payments from five insurance companies in car accidents, three of them in a 14-month span. That is mighty unlucky. (That said, there's something a touch curious about the filing of documents naming Scarbrough two weeks ago in relation to claims nearing 12 years old.)

There seem to be implacable enemies of everybody involved in the M.L. King Commission mess, no matter the faction. It is no wonder that more than one person has suggested to me that it is time to start over from scratch on this star-crossed agency, which appears to have operated as as a playpen for well-connected African-American politicos. The board's size is unworkable and accountability of the paid staff has been nearly non-existent.

Yes. I offered support for Sen. Tracy Steele, former King Commission director, during the days when Gov. Mike Huckabee had targeted the agency for takeover. I now think I gave Steele too much credit.

UPDATE: Change may be coming.

Comments

Can someone print the mission statement of this totally useless agency?

Posted by: Earl Swagger | April 30, 2008 09:16 AM

They need to begin by ensuring there are no people with last name of Charles on the reconstituted committee.

Posted by: 70%er | April 30, 2008 09:40 AM

Seems to me, John Walker ought to be suing somebody about this (or something).

Posted by: Nemo | April 30, 2008 10:35 AM

"I Have a Claim"

Posted by: Sanford | April 30, 2008 11:08 AM

I was very very close to the Commission at one time. It started out with such great promise but was compromised from the very beginning by the egotistical, self-aggrandizing executive director Mr. Steele. He has used it as his platform for advancement - and nothing else. He mismanaged, manipulated, and this current audit might finally reveal, profited personally from its coffers and other resources. How do you spell k-i-c-k-b-a-c-k ? He is a charlatan of the worst order - professing to help while keeping his boot on his people. Shame on Commissioners past and present [they did hire Mr.Scarbrough - obviously without enough vetting] and shame on the Governor's who have been afraid to clean house. There should be no sacred cows when it comes to such an important public issue.

Posted by: Janus | April 30, 2008 11:16 AM

There was a time, early on, when wise and experienced folks tried to help Tracy Steele in making the MLK Commission something positive for Arkansas. Steele stared at 'em, and then ignored them. His mission was to promote himself, not Arkansas.

Posted by: PVNasby | April 30, 2008 11:55 AM

I repeat: Will someone tell me why this entity exists.

Posted by: Earl Swagger | April 30, 2008 01:21 PM

This agency serves as an example as what is wrong with government. It has long ago outlived its usefulness if it ever had any. The only jobs is has created are those cushy positions for its directors, assistant directors, relatives, cronies and staff. Cut all funding and abolish it ASAP.

Posted by: MysteryShopper | April 30, 2008 04:23 PM

Can you imagine the shrieks of racism of any white politician that tried to cut this sugar tit of tax dollars?

/sigh

Posted by: Rev. Mojo Ryson | April 30, 2008 05:56 PM

Arkansas Blog

Drum majors for ???? UPDATE

Comments

Post a comment