New Mailer Hits Rutledge, Sterling Questioned On Payday Lender Contribution

The punches in the Republican run-off for Attorney General between Leslie Rutledge, an outside spending group and David Sterling continue.

On Thursday, a new mailer from the Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) — an out-of-state group that is advocating Sterling’s candidacy and blistering Rutledge — dropped on voters.

The mailer is labeled the “Arkansas Conservative Attorney General Guide” and it compares and contrasts seven “principles” between the two candidates.

Once again, JCN accuses Rutledge of not supporting “standing up for your right to self-defense,” while stating that Sterling would “propose [a] stand your ground law.”

Rutledge has previously addressed this charge, saying she supports Second Amendment rights, has the highest possible rating from the NRA, and holds a concealed carry license.

“I 100% support the right of any individual in the State of Arkansas to defend him/herself if attacked. As Attorney General, I will make it a priority to ensure that our Second Amendment right is protected,” Rutledge said in an earlier interview.

Rutledge also has said she believes current state law allows for self-defense anytime and anywhere and that if the legislature wants to add additional provisions to the law, she would work with them as AG to make sure it is “accurate, unambiguous, and constitutionally sound.”

Sterling and his supporters have maintained that his position is stronger than Rutledge’s on this issue.

The latest mailer also makes charges that Rutledge has fewer years of experience practicing law in Arkansas and has handled fewer federal and Arkansas court cases. Rutledge, who has served as a deputy prosecutor in Lonoke County and a state attorney at the Department of Human Services, says the mailer is false and inaccurate on these fronts.

“My opponent’s D.C. money merchants have reached a new low with their negative, shallow and downright malicious attacks filled with untruths about my record as a lawyer,” Rutledge said. “I have handled hundreds of cases as a prosecutor fighting crime and as an attorney for the Department of Health and Human Services going to court with foster children.”

She said the mail piece distorted her statement on hiring practices she’d employ in the office and it highlights Sterling’s Martindale-Hubbell rating as a professional and ethical lawyer.  The mail piece says Rutledge is not rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which she says is misleading because Martindale-Hubbell is a paid subscription service for attorneys not an independent ranking group that assesses all lawyers.

The mailer also claims Rutledge is a “Washington insider” while purporting that Sterling is not.  Rutledge worked for several years  as a lawyer for the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C., where she says she gained federal court experience.

“I find it ironic that this new mail piece attacks me for being a ‘Washington insider’ when the Judicial Crisis Network is filled with nothing but Washington insiders funded with dark money from secret donors who never have to reveal who they are,” said Rutledge. “These big money out-of-state political action committees are accountable to no one and can say anything at any time about anyone with no consequence. Who is the Judicial Crisis Network funded by?”

Talk Business & Politics has made a request for interview with a representative of the Judicial Crisis Network, which has also been airing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of television ads tying Rutledge to Pres. Obama and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.  Rutledge has refuted the charges made in the ad, while Sterling has described the ad as accurate.

CONTRIBUTION QUESTION
On Thursday, Rutledge’s campaign raised a question about one of Sterling’s $2,000 contributions from a April 15th campaign finance report.

In the report, Sterling disclosed a $2,000 contribution from Ace Cash Express, a payday lending company whose web site reports having four locations in Arkansas. The company offers online payday lending services, but according to its web site, does not offer that service in stores in Arkansas.  It does sell prepaid debit cards, conducts bill payments for utilities, and does money orders and wire transfers at its Arkansas store locations, according to its web site.

A hallmark of Attorney General Dustin McDaniel’s tenure, which ends in January, is that he aggressively restricted the payday lending industry in Arkansas. McDaniel’s professional resume touts his efforts to close 265 store-front and online payday lending operations in state. He also notes that his office resolved more than 2,200 payday lending complaints and has been awarded more than $7 million through litigation on behalf of consumers.

Rutledge said it is a “critical role” for the Attorney General to guard consumers against payday lenders. She said she has not and would not accept contributions from payday lenders.

“How can someone protect Arkansans from the predatory practices of payday lenders while at the same time accepting thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from them?,” Rutledge said in a statement to the press. “As Arkansas’s Attorney General, I will fight to protect consumers and will not let payday lenders take advantage of hardworking Arkansans. I want the people of Arkansas to know that the Attorney General’s Office is not for sale.”

When contacted for comment on the payday lender contribution, Sterling responded, “I’m not a Washington insider. I’m happy to receive contributions to my campaign so I can communicate my message of reining in the federal government, supporting a Stand Your Ground law, and repairing our state’s broken death penalty through the use of a new lethal injection drug protocol.”

The run-off election for the GOP Attorney General’s nomination is Tuesday, June 10.  The winner faces Democrat Nate Steel and Libertarian Aaron Cash in November.