Recording Conveys Conversation Between Shoffner, Broker

Jurors in the trial of former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner heard taped testimony between Shoffner and Steele Stephens, a dismissed investment broker who steered cash to the former Democratic officeholder.

Shoffner has been charged with six counts of extortion, one count of attempted extortion, and seven counts of receipt of a bribe by an agent of a state government receiving federal funds.  She is also facing 10 additional counts of mail fraud.

On Friday, federal jurors heard taped recordings of a conversation between Shoffner and Steele as they discussed covering their tracks on cash, gifts, and office business.

John Lyon with our content partner, the Arkansas News Bureau, reports:

The conversation took place outside the former Democratic treasurer’s home in Newport. In the recording, Shoffner says she wanted to meet with Stephens outdoors because of fear that her house may be bugged.

Stephens is heard in the recording telling Shoffner he will pretend to be a contractor looking at her house, in case anyone sees them. He also asks Shoffner, “You ain’t talked to anybody about me?”

“Huh-uh,” Shoffner says.

“You gotta take that s—t to your grave, you know what I mean?” Stephens says.

“You think I won’t?” Shoffner replies.

Shoffner goes on to discuss testimony that she gave in a legislative committee hearing, while under oath.

“They asked me if I’d taken anything and I said no, and I’ll go to my f—-ing grave with that,” she says.

“I will too, because the only people that know about any money exchanging hands between us are you and me, and that’s it,” Stephens says. “I’m not going to say s—t about s—t.”

Later in the recording, Stephens asks, “So the cash I gave, there’s no record of that?”

“No,” Shoffner says.

“Good,” Stephens says.

You can read more of the testimony and evidence in the trial at this link.