After what his spokesman described as "an oversight," Secretary of State Mark Martin has disclosed that four foreign and state entities paid more than $20,800 of food, lodging and travel expenses for his trips to China, Ghana, Taiwan and New Orleans last year.
The Prairie Grove Republican filed an amendment to his 2015 Statement of Financial Interest on April 15 to disclose these payments and filed another amendment Thursday to correct the dates for a trip.
The amendments were filed after the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette initially asked in February who paid for part of Martin's expenses on his trips to Ghana and Taiwan.
"It was just an oversight," Martin spokesman Chris Powell said last week when asked why these trips weren't disclosed on Martin's initial Statement of Financial Interest filed Jan. 13 with the secretary of state's office.
Under state law, state officials are required to disclose each nongovernment source of expense payments exceeding $150 for food, lodging or travel that bear a relationship to their offices.
Powell said Thursday that Martin was "not available" for an interview for a more detailed explanation concerning the amended filing.
But, Powell said, "there was some confusion about the term 'nongovernmental' and whether that included governmental entities outside of Arkansas or the U.S. The state Ethics Commission was consulted and they advised that those should be reported."
Graham Sloan, director of the Ethics Commission, said Friday that "if somebody received that advice, I would agree with it."
In addition to those travel-expense payments, the state spent more than $10,100 on Martin's travel in 2015, according to information provided by Powell.
Asked why Martin, who was re-elected in 2014 to his second four-year term, substantially increased his travel in 2015 over his previous years as secretary of state, Powell said Martin is on the executive board of the National Association of Secretaries of State and is chairman of the Information Network of Arkansas board, "so he has been more involved in events with those organizations."
"As to other additional travel, the secretary has received a number of invitations from various organizations and governments and accepted the invitations," Powell said. "He has had other opportunities that he has not been able to accept."
In amendments to his financial disclosure statement, Martin reported that:
• The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries of Beijing paid $9,000 for airfare, hotel, food and local transportation for his trip from May 30-June 7 to China.
The trip was part of a delegation with the National Association of Secretaries of State and "the purpose was to promote China-U.S. ... cooperation and people to people exchange," Powell said.
• The Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taipei City, Taiwan, paid $6,000 for airfare, hotel, food and local transportation for Martin's trip to Taiwan from April 18-26.
The trip was part of a delegation with the National Association of Secretaries of State and "the purpose was to promote cultural and education exchange between the U.S. and Taiwan," Powell said.
In addition, the state paid $45 of Martin's expenses for "incidentals," according to records provided by Powell.
• The Volta Regional Coordinating Council of Accra, Ghana, paid $3,775 for airfare, hotel, meals and local transportation for Martin's trip to Ghana from March 14-23.
The trip to Ghana was in conjunction with Sister Cities International and the Ghanaian government, through the council, paid for that, Powell said.
In addition, the state paid $603 of Martin's expenses for "incidentals," according to information provided by Powell.
Deputy Secretary of State Joseph Wood accompanied Martin on this trip and his expenses "would be the same" as Martin's, Powell said. Wood filed an amendment to his financial statement Thursday to disclose that the Volta council paid for $3,775 of his expenses on the trip.
• The Information Network of Arkansas of Little Rock paid $2,066.46 for air transportation, hotel and award reception for Martin's trip in New Orleans from Sept. 25-26.
Martin traveled to New Orleans as chairman of the Information Network of Arkansas' board to accept awards on behalf of the state, including a Best of the Web award for Arkansas.gov, which was rated the best state portal, Powell said. In addition, the state paid $84.40 for Martin's ground transportation and incidental expenses on this trip, according to information provided by Powell.
Also in 2015, Martin took the following trips funded by the state, according to information provided by Powell.
• $3,840.20 for a trip to Accra from Nov. 15-22.
The November trip to Ghana was part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture-led trade mission and Martin "was invited to participate by the Arkansas secretary of agriculture [Wes Ward] based on his established relationships and previous visit in-country," Powell said. Wood, Martin's deputy, accompanied Martin on this trip and his expenses "would be the same" as Martin's, Powell said.
• $2,157.88 for his trip to Portland, Maine, from July 8-12. The trip was for the National Association of Secretaries of State summer conference.
• $1,698.31 for his trip to Washington D.C., from Feb. 11-16. The trip was for the association's winter conference.
• $1,668.44 for his trip to Seattle from May 1-3. The trip was for the association's digital-records forum.
• $71 for his trip to Washington, D.C. from Aug. 11-13. The purpose was the election-data conference of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Martin's office is in charge of helping county officials with elections, maintaining election records and ensuring compliance with federal election laws.
Asked who paid for the other costs of that trip, Powell said in an email Friday that "regarding the DC trip, I'm told that the Secretary paid for his trip personally and then was reimbursed by the EAC."
Asked whether that should be disclosed on Martin's financial statement, Powell replied in the email, "Yes. Consulted Ethics Commission. We will be checking on that amount and will amend."
In his first year as secretary of state in 2011, Martin reported an $8,000 trip to Taipei from Sept. 26-Oct. 3 that year, paid for by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. Martin was part of a delegation formed by the National Association of Secretaries of State.
In 2011, he also reported a $2,000 trip to Lexington, Ky., on Sept. 9-14 that year, paid for by the Council of State Governments, for the Henry Toll Fellowship Program.
In his third year in office in 2013, Martin reported receiving two overseas trips totaling $11,624. The Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians covered the $3,300 cost for Martin to attend the "U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention for Diplomatic Relations" May 24-June 5, 2013, and South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid $8,324 for his trip there Nov. 11-15, 2013, as a "Diplomatic-Cultural Exchange by Special Invitation."
The state paid $3,599,40 for his travel on state business to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., in 2012; $3,020.92 on his travel to Las Vegas and Anchorage, Alaska, in 2013; and $619.82 on his travel to Baltimore and Blytheville in 2014, according to information provided by Powell.
In March 2015, the citizens salary commission increased the annual salaries of elected officials. It boosted the salary of the secretary of state to $90,000 from $54,848.
Martin, who is barred from seeking re-election under the state's term limits, recently said he doesn't plan to run for another statewide office in 2018.
SundayMonday on 04/24/2016