Ethics panel fines PB mayor $250, cautions her

PINE BLUFF - The Arkansas Ethics Commission has fined Pine Bluff Mayor Debe Hollingsworth $250 and issued a letter of caution after finding that she violated three state laws related to her 2012 campaign.

According to commission documents, Hollingsworth failed to file a final contribution and expenditure report and disclose the balance of her campaign funds at the close of the reporting period.

Hollingsworth also failed to disclose itemized contributions on her pre-election contribution and expenditure report, the commission ruled.

In addition, the mayor violated Arkansas Code Annotated 7-6-204 by spending $1,000 in cash on advertising at a University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff tailgate party. Campaign expenditures in excess of $50 may not be made in cash, according to Arkansas law.

The ethics panel noted that Hollingsworth has since filed a final campaign report, as well as other required documents.

The mayor was out of town Thursday and unavailable for comment.

Five of the eight Pine Bluff aldermen have also received letters of caution and fines from the Ethics Commission for campaign-finance violations in recent months.

On Jan. 17, Alderman Wayne Easterly was fined $150 for violating six laws related to his 2010 campaign, and Alderman Bill Brumett was fined $100 for one violation during his 2010 re-election bid.

According to documents from the Ethics Commission, Easterly admitted that he failed to disclose information concerning the beginning balance of $752.34 listed on his pre-election contribution and expenditure report, as well as information concerning the disclosure of carry-over funds to his 2010 campaign account.

Easterly also admitted that he failed to disclose expenditures made by his campaign in the amount of $805.89; failed to disclose itemized expenditures made by his campaign; failed to disclose $699.53 in expenditures made by his campaign; and failed to disclose information concerning the categorization of expenditures in the amount of $598.

According to the Ethics Commission, Easterly has since filed an amended pre-election contribution and expenditure report with the Jefferson County clerk’s office to provided the needed information.

Easterly said the mistakes were simply clerical errors and that “there is no issue of money being unaccounted for or misappropriated. It was just the result of being in a hurry.”

The Ethics Commission found that Brumett failed to timely file a pre-election contribution and expenditure report and a final contribution and expenditure report during his 2010 re-election campaign.

According to the commission, Brumett has since filed the required information with the Jefferson County clerk.

A message left for Brumett was not returned Thursday.

Earlier this year, Alderman George Stepps was fined $100 for failing to disclose income from the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System on his statement of financial interest during the 2012 campaign. In addition, the Ethics Commission found that Stepps failed to disclose the correct addresses for two of his businesses; failed to list the correct name of his businesses; and failed to have his signature notarized on his statement of finance interest.

Late last year, the Ethics Commission found that Alderman Thelma Walker failed to file a final campaign contribution and expenditure form in a timely fashion, in addition to failing to disclose required information on her statement of financial interest for 2012. Walker was fined $200.

Alderman Glen Brown failed to file a pre-election and final campaign contribution and expenditure report for his 2012 campaign in a timely fashion, the commission also ruled late last year.

Brown failed to disclose all of his income sources on his 2012 statement of financial interest, as well, according to the Ethics Commission. He was fined $100.

The commission said Brown and Walker have since filed the necessary information.

Arkansas, Pages 9 on 01/31/2014

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