Former legislator Denny Altes of Fort Smith, appointed state drug prevention director by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in May 2015, resigned today effective July 1.  The state website lists his pay at $73,000, a figure on which retirement for his accumulated time in state employment will be based. Altes is 69.

At this moment, I have no information for the reason for his departure.


As we noted at the time,
Altes wasn’t a sterling example of Hutchinson appointments, with a legislative record in House and Senate mostly in support of far-right items — open carry, teaching Bible in public schools, preventing federal officers from making arrests without county sheriff approval.

Advertisement

He’s been without profile as drug prevention director.  When he was appointed after more than a decade in the legislature, Altes said he faced a “daunting task” in coordinating the state’s drug abuse prevention efforts.

Let’s be straight here: Altes is a nut. He was a joke of an appointment to a political sinecure as a payback to someone from the governor’s home turf. This happens all the time under all administrations, Democratic and Republican. Doesn’t make it right. But when it happens, it takes the shine off those who make the appointment.

Advertisement

One golden oldie for Altes, on ugly remarks about immigrants and resisting paying unemployment compensation to an employee of a family waste hauling business.

Maybe this is part of the governor’s efficiency moves.

Advertisement

Be a Part of the Fight

Step up and make a difference by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, the progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock that's been fighting for truth for 50 years. Our tough, determined, and feisty journalism has earned us over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, all of whom value our commitment to holding the powerful accountable. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Join us in the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article The Jerry Jones at the Ethics Commission Edition Next article Conservatives poke stick at college students