Former State Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson receives 46-month sentence

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Former Arkansas State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, was sentenced Friday (Feb. 3) to 46 months in federal prison for his role in tax fraud and bribery scheme.

Hutchinson, 48, is the son of former U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson and the nephew of former Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Hutchinson pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019, in the Eastern District of Arkansas to filing a false tax return; pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019, to an information filed in the Western District of Arkansas to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery; and pleaded guilty in the Western District of Missouri on July 8, 2019, to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/former-state-sen-jeremy-hutchinson-receives-46-month-sentence/

Former Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock (photo courtesy of KUAR)

Judge orders Sen. Jason Rapert to provide information from social media accounts

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

A U.S. district judge is ordering Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway, to release information regarding his social media accounts. The order is part of a lawsuit filed against Rapert by the group American Atheists.

The lawsuit was filed in 2018 after members of the group were blocked by Rapert on Twitter and Facebook. Arkansas Atheists attorney Geoffrey Blackwell argues Rapert blocking the group is a violation of First Amendment rights and data from the senator’s accounts can help settle the case.

“The First Amendment applies to government officials online and in traditional public forums,” Blackwell said. “By restricting their ability to comment and engage in discussion with him and other constituents, he infringed on their right to free speech based on their viewpoint.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-07-29/judge-orders-sen-jason-rapert-to-provide-information-from-social-media-account

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

The group American Atheists argues state Sen. Jason Rapert violated the First Amendment rights of its members.

Sen. Jim Hendren, founder of Common Ground Arkansas, not seeking re-election

KUAR | By Steve Brawner / Talk Business & Politics

Arkansas state Sen. Jim Hendren, I-Gravette, is not running for re-election in 2022, he announced Monday.

On his website, hendrenforarkansas.com, he said his duties with the government reform organization he founded, Common Ground Arkansas, have left him with less time to focus on his Senate district.

Asked about his decision in a phone interview, Hendren said, “I’ve just got too much on my plate to do a good job of serving the people of the Senate district. Common Ground is taking more and more of my time, my business is at record levels, and we’re in the middle of a $3 million expansion, and my grandkids that I want to spend some time with. So all those things compiled together led me to a place where I just didn’t feel like I could do an adequate job of continuing to serve in the state Senate and do all those other things that I think are more important to me at this point.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-11-22/sen-jim-hendren-founder-of-common-ground-arkansas-not-seeking-re-election

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

State Sen. Jim Hendren, seen here in January 2019, announced Monday he will not run for reelection and has ruled out a bid for governor of Arkansas.

Former GOP Chair Doyle Webb Jumps in Lieutenant Governor’s Race

Former Arkansas GOP chairman Doyle Webb announced Tuesday (May 4) he will enter the race for Lt. Governor in 2022.

Webb, a former state senator from Benton, previously worked in the Lt. Governor’s office during Win Rockefeller’s term in office.

Webb was chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas from 2008-2020, a period of time that saw Republicans become the majority party in the state. Earlier this year, he was named by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to assist with the legislative redistricting through the Board of Apportionment. Webb said he resigned that position last week.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/05/former-gop-chair-doyle-webb-jumps-in-lt-governors-race/