Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee

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Arkansas Senate votes to suspend Clark for making 'frivolous' complaint

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KUAR | By Steve Brawner / Talk Business & Politics

The Arkansas Senate voted Tuesday to accept a Senate Ethics Committee finding that Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, had filed a “spurious, frivolous and retaliatory” ethics petition against Sen. Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff.

Votes were 26-4 on three separate motions. One affirmed that Clark had filed the unmerited charges. Another moved him to 35th in seniority in the Senate and to recommend to next year’s 94th General Assembly that he remain there. Next year's session convenes Jan. 9. The third was to suspend him until the end of Jan. 8, 2023, from Senate activities except for organizational and orientation meetings of the 94th General Assembly, including having the use of staff, his Senate license plate, Senate digital devices, and his email account.

Clark was on vacation and did not attend the session — a fact pointed out by several of his Republican colleagues.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-09-27/arkansas-senate-votes-to-suspend-clark-for-making-frivolous-complaint

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

Sen. Alan Clark speaking with reporters on Sept. 9 after the Senate Ethics Committee determined he made a frivolous and retaliatory complaint against Sen. Stephanie Flowers. On Tuesday, the full Senate voted to accept the committee's recommendation to sanction Clark.

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Arkansas lawmakers unable to reach decision on ethics complaint

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KUAR | By Michael Hibblen

The Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee will meet again next Thursday to consider a complaint made by one senator against another. It comes despite the intention of the committee chairman to resolve the issue during a marathon meeting on Thursday which was mostly conducted behind closed doors.

The complaint was apparently filed by Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, against Sen. Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff. Clark had been sanctioned by the committee earlier this summer for seeking per diem and travel expenses for a meeting he did not attend. He has since suggested there are problems with the legislature’s ethics rules and that other lawmakers have committed similar violations.

State documents obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette show Flowers reimbursed the state last month nearly $3,000 for travel expenses she had received for meetings attended via Zoom. Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, also received the payments, which Senate President Jimmy Hickey said he considered “a clerical error.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-09-02/arkansas-lawmakers-unable-to-reach-decision-on-ethics-complaint

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New Arkansas legislative ethics investigation begins

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KUAR | By Michael Hibblen

The Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee on Friday held its first hearing regarding an apparent complaint that has been filed. Few details are known about this latest investigation as most of the meeting happened behind closed doors.

It comes a month after two senators were sanctioned for violating reimbursement rules. Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, acknowledged asking Sen. Mark Johnson, R-Ferndale, to add his name to a sign in sheet at an event he did not attend, enabling Clark to receive a $155 per diem. There are indications Clark may be involved in making this latest complaint.

Sen. Kim Hammer, chairman of the committee, cited a rule at the start of Friday’s meeting allowing him to call it into executive session, “as the committee members will review the documents submitted to them regarding the current petition.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-08-26/new-arkansas-legislative-ethics-investigation-begins

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

Members of the Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee at the start of a meeting Friday to consider a complaint.