Paying Attention Pays Off (Opinion)

With the exception of governor, Arkansas’ constitutional officers are a lot like a home HVAC system: It’s essential, but you don’t pay much attention to it, and if you turn the system on without servicing it, one of these days you could die of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Arkansas needs an attorney general, a land commissioner, a secretary of state and a treasurer. (Lieutenant governor, not so much.) After Reconstruction, those officials were Democratic Party stalwarts of highly variable talents and ethical standards. If these officers took liberties — and some did — the discovery of them depended on a nosy press or curious citizens, but not usually on an aggressive opposition.

But in 2010, angry voters gave three of those offices to Republicans in addition to electing a passel of them to the Legislature, and Arkansas became a two-party state. State Treasurer Martha Shoffner was one Democrat who withstood the GOP assault. It’s quite possible Democrats wish she hadn’t.

After she failed to appear before the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee when summoned, its members somewhat showily subpoenaed Shoffner. They, rightly, wanted answers to their questions about transactions authorized by her office that resulted in a loss to the state of more than $800,000.

Shoffner’s testimony before the panel last month conflicted with that of her chief investment officer, who wondered out loud whether she could claim whistle-blower protection. The photo in the statewide daily of Shoffner glaring at Autumn Sanson is one that, as a number of observers noted, belongs in the dictionary under the definition of “stink eye.”

Republican legislators weren’t the only committee members demanding answers, but they were insistent. The insistence is appreciated.