Arkansas Republican Scandals | Updated List of GOP Scandals in AR
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Scandal Categories
Arkansas Republican Executive Branch Scandals
Arkansas Republican State Legislator Scandals
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2/03/23
Illegally spent over $100,000 in campaign contributions on personal expenses and then tried to cover it up by filing numerous false tax returns
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He pleaded guilty to tax and wire fraud and was sentenced to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay over $350,000 in fines
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12/30/22
Failed to pay over $625k in court-ordered child support even after a judge found he easily had the finances to do so and was held in contempt of court and jailed until he paid it off in full
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According to court documents reported by local newspapers
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6/25/19
Accepted cash bribes totaling over $150,000 from the co-owner of orthodontic clinics in exchange for his efforts to help overturn a dental practices law he didn't like
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Allegedly according to reporting from credible media outlets
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Jake FilesFmr. State Senator [R-AR]
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1/29/18
Pocketed $46,500 in state grants designated for community upgrades by manipulating the bidding process to award his company a contract for work that was never done
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According to charging documents filed by federal officials
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Jon WoodsFmr. State Senator [R-AR]
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3/01/17
Directed roughly $600,000 in taxpayer money to a Christian college and another non-profit organization in exchange for a large financial payoff that was facilitated through a third-party consulting company who concealed the bribes
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Allegedly according to reporting from credible media outlets
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Micah NealFmr. State Representative [R-AR]
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1/05/17
Received a $38k bribe to funnel $600k in government funds to a private evangelical Christian college and another non-profit organization
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According to charging documents filed by federal officials
Other Arkansas Republican Scandals
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Jimmy StephensFmr. Sheriff [R-AR]
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10/25/23
Was caught with unprescribed pain killers, smokable marijuana and marijuana butter in his patrol car after the FBI requested that the Arkansas state police pull him over because they had just witnessed him exit a suspected drug house under their surveillance
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According to charging documents filed by local police