It's no secret that the state's still new treasurer, Dennis Milligan, is not above smearing a political rival. That much has been clear at least since he was caught on tape threatening a state representative named Duncan Baird who, together with some friends, made a late-night visit to the state Capitol in hopes of showing off the view from the Capitol's roof--as if that were some kind of scandal. It wasn't and isn't, but the use Mr. Milligan made of that information certainly was. Even his trusty aide, Jim Harris, while denying that his boss tried to pressure young Baird into leaving the treasurer's race, confessed that Mr. Milligan told his opponent that "he's got lots of enemies."
How subtle. We can hear Marlon Brando saying it in The Godfather, and you don't have to come from Chicago to recognize it as a warning. Nice guy, "The Hon." Dennis Milligan.
Unfortunately for Arkansas, this bad actor was elected state treasurer anyway, and it hasn't taken him long to make the news again, and not in a good way. ("Milligan: Sorry for hiring cousin," Page One, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, February 21, 2015.) Mr. Milligan claims he didn't know that kind of nepotism is against state law (Arkansas Code Annotated 25-16-1004) and his pleading ignorance is all too convincing in light of his general carelessness about doing the ethical thing in politics.
Dennis Milligan may have been state treasurer only since January, but he's already compiling a dubious record in office, just as a lot of us feared he would.
What is it about the state treasurer's office that seems to attract these bad apples--by the bushel? Back in 2004, a bad actor by the name of Gus Wingfield was fined $750 and drew an official reprimand from the state's ethics commission for handing out raises and promotions to various members of his own family. And sure enough, his successor in that office, the notorious Martha Shoffner, was caught--on camera--taking bribes from a bond dealer (Steele Stephens) with St. Bernard Financial Services, and had to resign her office under fire. She was convicted last year on 14--fourteen--charges of extortion and bribery. Why do they do it? The best explanation we can offer for these miscreants' hitting up the state treasurer's office is the same one the legendary Willie Sutton was said to have offered when asked why he robbed banks: "Because that's where the money is."
As for Dennis Milligan, his (less than good) reputation precedes him in the state treasurer's office--like fair warning.
Editorial on 02/25/2015