Fort Smith may sue former Sen. Files

The Southwest Times Record reported today that the city of Fort Smith is considering suing former Sen. Jake Files and co-developer Sebastian County Election Commissioner Lee Webb as individuals to recover the $1.08 million the city gave them to build the River Valley Sports Complex.

The city has already filed suit against the company to pay to finish the sports complex, pay subcontractors and return a General Improvement Fund grant that went to the company. (The subcontractors have sued the city for more than $200,000 owed them, the newspaper reports.)

Files has already pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering in federal court for misuse of GIF money to build the sports complex and pledging a forklift he did not own as collateral for a $56,700 bank loan. He is out on bond and is to be sentenced in June.

Here are Max’s musings on whether Files should do time.