Kathryn Ann Spinks posted the following letter on Facebook yesterday and it has been recirculated via e-mail.
Many of you may have heard and/or read that I was honored to receive an appointment by Governor Beebe to the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining Committee. The staff member in the Governor’s office who was handling my appointment didn’t realize that for this appointment to go into effect, my State Senator would first have to confirm the appointment. This staff member discovered this requirement after the Governor’s Official Appointment notification letter and Duplicate Official Oath of Office form was received by me and after the Governor’s Office had released notice of my appointment in a press release to news organizations.
The staff member then sent the request for confirmation to Jason Rapert, my Republican State Senator, who refused confirmation without explanation (what a surprise!!!). If Jason Rapert had done the right thing and confirmed my appointment I would still have had to face approval from the State Senate the next time they convened in order for me to be truly appointed to the Arkansas State Occupational Therapy Examining Committee.
I want to thank Governor Beebe and all of the individuals who contributed to my receiving the Governor’s appointment. I do regret that it will now not go into effect as I so was looking forward to serving as a member of this vital state level committee. I hope to receive another chance for governmental service in the future.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Spinks, MNSc., RN
Conway, Arkansas
A former state legislator who passed the letter to me noted that Spinks has been active in the Faulkner County Democratic Party and speculates that this made her ineligible to serve in government in the view of Sen. Jason Rapert, one of the Republican bullies who believe the party’s narrow legislative majority usurps the executive branch on everything from participation in state contracting to voluntary conservation efforts to executive appointment. The Faulkner County Democratic Facebook page shows Spinks was indeed active in the group, which naturally supported Linda Tyler in her race against Rapert in 2012 and had plenty to say negative about Bro. Rapert.
I’ve asked Rapert for an explanation by e-mail. Will pass it along if it arrives. (PS: I should have said originally that senatorial consent has been withheld periodically over the years, but rarely.)
Remember that famous George Fisher cartoon in which every member of the legislature and even legislative rodents wore the face of Orval Faubus?