LITTLE ROCK — Former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner says she plans to plead innocent to charges she accepted cash payments from a bond broker to whom she steered state investments, but a federal judge says she can't skip a hearing to enter that plea.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe Volpe denied Shoffner's request to waive her appearance at an arraignment hearing scheduled for later this week. Volpe's order was dated Friday, but wasn't entered into the court system until Monday.
Shoffner and her attorney said in a filing with the court that she planned to plead innocent. A federal grand jury June 5 indicted Shoffner on 14 counts of extortion and bribery charges.
Shoffner resigned last month after the FBI arrested her at her Newport home.
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC
Martha Shoffner
Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner resigned May 21, 2013, after her arrest three days before on accusations she accepted cash payments from a bond broker in exchange for transferring a large portion of the state’s investment activity to the Russellville-based broker, St. Bernard Financial Services Inc. She was indicted June 5, 2013, on 14 counts, including extortion and bribery charges.
Document set
Martha Shoffner case
- Shoffner change-of-plea hearing
- Judge Holmes denies acquittal for Shoffner
- Second superseding indictment for Martha Shoffner
- Dec. 14, 2012, Legislative Joint Auditing Committee transcript
- Sept. 17, 2012, Legislative Joint Auditing Committee minutes
- Sept. 17, 2012, Legislative Audit testimony
- Dec. 14, 2012, Legislative Joint Auditing Committee minutes
- Martha Shoffner indictment
- Release: Shoffner indicted
- Martha Shoffner resignation letter
- Martha Shoffner criminal complaint