State Treasurer Dennis Milligan's deputy chief of staff, Jason Brady, is on paid leave as Milligan reviews Brady's emails from 2013 and 2014 when he worked as a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and also as Milligan's campaign manager, Milligan spokesman Grant Wallace said Monday.
Wallace said Brady was out of the treasurer's office on Monday and will be out of the office today and Wednesday "for right now," after Milligan on Friday asked Brady to take paid leave.
Brady's salary as deputy chief of staff is $81,600 a year, according to the Arkansas Transparency website.
Milligan said that "the questions about Brady's activities are not tied to state government, but rather his role as an unpaid volunteer to my campaign."
He said that Brady was a trusted volunteer adviser who was provided with a campaign email address, and he expected him to use it to communicate with him and others tied to his campaign.
"If he used resources he should not have at this former employer, it was against my design and wishes, and I will discuss with Brady ways he can make amends to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN), which is a 501(c)(4) [nonprofit] organization," Milligan said.
"I want to be assured that none of this information hurt the goals and missions of the ACSCAN and its stated goal to 'advocate for public policies that are helping to defeat cancer.'"
The Arkansas News Bureau reported Sunday that emails Brady sent in 2013 and 2014 show he conducted business for Milligan's campaign using ACSCAN's email account during regular business hours on numerous occasions.
The emails also show Brady made plans for a conference call using ACSCAN's phone system and told fellow campaign workers, in an email, seeking reimbursement for an expense, that "for job security, my name can NOT be listed anywhere on a campaign contribution report," according to the Arkansas News Bureau.
Last month, Milligan paid a $1,000 civil penalty and reimbursed the state for $6,941.62 after briefly giving his first cousin a state job, in violation of state law.
Metro on 04/28/2015