Chaos among the state judiciary, Gilbert Baker’s resignation from UCA, Sen. Mark Pryor and the minimum wage, Mike Ross’ pre-K plan and Exxon's not-so-new revelations about the Mayflower oil spill—all covered on this week's edition.
The big story isn't campaign finance funny business except to the extent that it reflects a much larger story about justice in Arkansas. Gilbert Baker and co. have worked for year in the employ of forces who want to make it harder to sue for damages in Arkansas courts: the so-called "tort reform" campaign of big business.
Former state Sen. Gilbert Baker has resigned as UCA lobbyist and executive assistant. The move comes after weeks of reporting on Baker's role as Republican fundraiser by the Arkansas Blog, Blue Hog Report and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Following Gilbert Baker's money — from the Religious Right secretly financed political lobby group created by Ralph Reed to the public payroll at UCA and still unknown private sources.
I filled in for Lindsey, who's out sick today. The Faulkner County judge cabal, starring Gilbert Baker; new leadership in the Arkansas House; unconstitutional lawmaking to help the frackers; the invalidation of an anti-abortion law and an Indian festival are on the agenda.
The Democrat-Gazette's Debra Hale-Shelton continues to dig up new information on the suspicious campaign finance activity that funneled money into the now-aborted Court of Appeals campaign of Judge Mike Maggio of Conway. The latest is an ethics complaint by a family on the wrong side of a court ruling by Maggio in a nursing home negligence case. But the nursing home-judicial election nexus doesn't end there.
Debra Hale-Shelton of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette inquires further today into the tangled business of political activity involving taxpayer-financed UCA lobbyist Gilbert Baker, local Circuit Judge Mike Maggio and nursing home magnate Michael Morton of Fort Smith.
Another day and another illustration of how the nursing home lobby builds the sort of influence in the legislature that helps it win better reimbursement rules and increased profitability. Today, it's a Republican House candidate with a significant chunk of campaign contrbutions from that industry.
Sen. Missy Irvin of Mountain View never responded yesterday to my questions about her decision to hold a lobbyist-studded campaign fund-raiser at a luxury high-rise condo in Little Rock during the middle of the current legislative session, but she did respond to an Arkansas Fourth Facebook inquiry. Defensively, of course.
The no-good nine and Nate Bell who’re working to destroy the private option, Gilbert Baker’s fundraising for Republicans, U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin’s entrance into the lieutenant governor's race and the growing support for marriage equality across the country
Democratic State Rep. Joe Jett of Corning said University of Central Arkansas President Tom Courtway was at the Capitol at 8:30 a.m. this morning to talk to him about his complaint of campaign finance bundling activities by former Republican Sen. Gilbert Baker, who now makes $132,000 a year as UCA lobbyist and executive assistant