Notes from the Campaign Trail: The ‘politics makes strange bedfellows’ edition

If politics makes strange bedfellows, here’s your proof.

A forthcoming fundraiser for Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, R-Ark., has a few interesting side notes. For starters, the fundraiser will be held on Monday, Sept. 24 at the home of State Rep. Andy Davis, R-Little Rock. He and his wife, Haley, are hosts along with attorneys Alex Gray and Nate Steel and their spouses, Lisa and James Miller, and Bill Vickery.

Rutledge is running against Democrat Mike Lee, who for a period of time was looking to run against Davis for his House seat in western Pulaski County. Steel, was Rutledge’s Democratic rival in 2014 when she defeated him in the Attorney General’s race.

And Gray and Steel, both in law practice together, are representatives working with the Driving Arkansas Forward campaign. That group is pushing the amendment proposal to allow four casinos in Arkansas, including expanded facilities at Oaklawn and Southland. You may recall that it took four efforts and legal action for Rutledge to acquiesce and allow the casino amendment onto the ballot for this fall.

Add it all up and this fundraiser certainly has a lot of interesting plot twists. Says Nate Steel, “We are a bipartisan firm that supports candidates across the political spectrum.”

LEE PURSUES ETHICS CHANGES
Rutledge’s Democratic challenger this fall, Mike Lee, pledges to be an activist Attorney General if he’s elected. Lee rolled out his plan to push for ethics reform at the legislature next January. According to his press release, Lee’s proposals include an Ethics Bill of Rights that would:

• Give the Ethics Commission more power to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing as well as increase fines and press for more spot audits of campaign reports;
• Require more disclosure for lobbyists, including name tags at the capitol;
• Call for a 5-year cooling off period before a former elected official could lobby;
• Mandate state business be done on state telephones and email addresses, requiring text messages to be archived;
• Initiate a total gift ban, stop all paid trips for lawmakers, and end GIF spending for lawmakers; and
• Eliminate dark money spending by requiring full disclosure of donors as well as banning corporate PAC contributions.

“For those that seek to do wrong, I have a message for you – a new Attorney General, a real watchdog, is coming to the state Capitol. Your day is done,” Lee said.

2nd DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE WILL BE ONE-SIDED
On Wednesday night (Sept. 19), KATV and Talk Business & Politics will host a fairly one-sided Congressional debate between Democrat Clarke Tucker and himself. U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, declined to participate in the debate, but an airing will go on as planned.

The event, which will take place at KATV’s studios in downtown Little Rock, will be broadcast on KATV’s Facebook and web page as well as over Talk Business & Politics Facebook and web site from 7-8 p.m.

Tucker will field questions from KATV’s Chris May, Talk Business & Politics’ Roby Brock, and from viewers who can submit questions throughout the one hour discussion.

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Editor’s note: ‘Notes from the Campaign Trail’ is a compilation of various political insider tidbits. It is sponsored by Campbell Ward Consulting|Communications.