Asa and Brandon

Has Arkansas finally found a candidate for Governor who is camera shy?

I seem to recall Asa Hutchinson as a candidate for several offices, U.S. Senate, Attorney General, Congress and even Governor of Arkansas back in 2007 that never – never failed to find, smile at and even covet a photo op camera.

He was a “camera hog” in those days. Always smiling, always pleasant to the guys and gals with the cameras slung over their shoulder or around their necks.

Has he changed?

Last Monday, the tall, lanky, well-tanned county-boy lawyer, was a “ghost” of his former press-loving self, avoiding all the newspaper and television cameras.

How did he do it?

He was hiding in plain sight, but just inside the U.S. District Courtroom in Fayetteville’s John Paul Hammerschmidt Building. That’s the same building that Asa once commanded his main office as the Third District Congressman.

Talk about a well photographed office – Asa certainly had many photo ops in and out of that same building.

But as his law firm – Asa Hutchinson Law Group PLC in Rogers – represented Brandon Barber, the noted Northwest Arkansas developer, who is under a long string of 27 federal indictments – Asa, the candidate for governor – was strangely ducking out of the press opportunities.

One has to wonder why?

He did not make the photo op “walk” into the federal court building – an exercise any lawyer will tell the client (and the public) is often an orchestrated show of confidence in the client and the attorneys ability to win the case.

Asa, instead allowed his son, Asa Hutchinson III, to make the “walk” and appear in all the newspapers and on the TV’s noon, 5 p.m. 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.

But when they get into the courtroom, Asa, the candidate for governor, who entered the courtroom unnoticed, away from many of the eyes of the press, was indeed, the lead chair – on the issue before the federal Magistrate.

Some sharp eyes among the press in the courtroom found this interesting, but not too odd.

But after the lengthy hearing, again, Barber and Asa Hutchinson III, met the media for a post-hearing press conference – again Asa, the candidate, exited out some back stairwell or waited until the cameras were gone before heading back to another vehicle and slinking off into the night.

On the Asa Hutchinson Law Groups website, the site lists 45% of the firm’s business is “White Collar Criminal Defense,” no shame in that. Everyone is entitled to their day in court, including Brandon Barber, whom the Hutchinson firm has as a client.

But why was Asa, the candidate, not with his client? Could it be that Barber alienated a lot of the same folks in Northwest Arkansas who might also be on the list of potential donors to a gubernatorial campaign?

The City Wire sent several questions to Asa Hutchinson For Governor staffer, Misty Murphey. In an email, sent Tuesday to the candidate, and answered Wednesday evening, Asa, the candidate says: “The Asa Hutchinson Law Group are the attorneys of record for Brandon Barber. I am one of the attorneys from the firm who appeared with Mr. Barber on Monday in court.”

He also says there is no first or second chair attorney status in this case: “The law firm as a whole represents Mr. Barber and there is no designation as first or second chair.”

Why didn’t Asa, the candidate, appear in the walk-in or press conference of the client?
“Our partner, Asa Hutchinson III, has been designated as the media contact for this case and is handling media inquiries.”

What about the candidate for governor representing other clients as the campaign progresses? “Certainly. We have multiple longstanding clients and I continue to be Senior Partner of the firm. As the campaign progresses, I will diminish my responsibilities with the firm.”

OK, good, sensible answers from Asa, the candidate. But it remains interesting to wonder if Asa the attorney was on the sympathetic side of a high-profile case if Asa the candidate would have avoided the (free) press.