LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Republican party has filed a lawsuit over the personal use of state vehicles by Arkansas' seven constitutional officers and Speaker of the House Robbie Wills.
Chairman Doyle Webb arrived at Pulaski County Circuit Court just after 10 a.m., filing a suit that seeks to bar the constitutional officers from using state cars for personal use and to order them to make reimbursements for past use.
The suit contends that the vehicle use counts as additional income, which is prohibited by Amendment 70. Webb said the lawsuit also seeks a declaratory judgment that constitutional officers only receive compensation allowed under the amendment.
Webb said he will ask the court to expedite the process for hearing the case, adding he hopes there is some action on it before the election. But he said the intent was not political, calling claims otherwise "hogwash."
"The Republican party of Arkansas has always stood for good government and for stopping the old boy system," Webb said. "We're just continuing that process."
The plaintiff in the suit is Johnny Rhoda, a Van Buren resident who serves as the second district chairman for the GOP. Eight defendants are listed: Gov. Mike Beebe, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, Secretary of State Charlie Daniels, Treasurer Martha Shoffner Auditor Jim Wood, Land Commissioner Mark Wilcox and Wills.
In remarks after filing, Webb pointed to McDaniel as the best example of compliance with the law. McDaniel gave up his vehicle and reimbursed the state $2,903 for past use, though Webb said there was some question as to how McDaniel decided on the amount.
"We believe his approach is the correct approach," Webb said.
He highlighted others for what he said were incorrect approaches, including Wilcox for keeping and using a state truck on his farm, Halter for paying taxes on the state vehicle but not giving it up and Wills for refusing to pay taxes or give up the vehicle.
Beebe receives rides from his Arkansas State Police security detail and doesn't pay taxes on them. Webb said that is an appropriate exemption, but that Beebe was included in the suit anyway because he the head of state government.
Webb's suit comes after an investigation earlier this summer by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette into the usage of state-owned vehicles by the constitutional officers as well as lawmakers and government employees.
There are more than 8,600 state-owned vehicles in use by state employees. Of those, about 1,000 are allowed for commuting.