The Libertarian candidate in the 3rd Congressional District race was convicted of felony identity theft in 2009, he confirmed this morning in a telephone interview.
"The whole matter should have been a civil dispute," said candidate Steven Jay Isaacson of Eureka Springs.
The charge involved a bill to a former employer of Isaacson's by DIRECTV for $533.21. Isaacson said he never received any service from the company. The employer reported the past-due amount to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Isaacson said.
"I didn't have the money to fight this thing,” he said.
According to Daniel Schultz, a lawyer for the state Board of Election Commissioners, the qualifications for office for a U.S. representative are set out in the U.S. Constitution, and states have no authority to add or subtract from those stipulations. Other than that, the commission had no comment. Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution makes no mention of prior criminal convictions.
In a plea agreement, Isaacson agreed to pay $500 in fines, $420 in court costs and other prosecution-related expenses, $115 in restitution and a $100 fee for legal representation by a public defender, Carroll County District Court records show.
He paid by installments of $100 a month, with a $10 fee added each month for processing costs.
The incumbent in the race is Rep. Steve Womack, a Republican from Rogers.