State Sen. David Burnett, D-Osceola, this week reported returning six more campaign contributions totaling $3,100 from five businesses and an association, in response to an ethics complaint filed by Craighead County Republican Party Chairman Billie Sue Hoggard alleging that he illegally accepted contributions from 14 businesses and entities.
After the complaint last month, Burnett initially reported he returned campaign contributions totaling $2,750 from seven businesses. He said his campaign made these mistakes unintentionally.
Burnett's Republican opponent, Rep. David Wallace of Leachville, reported loaning his campaign $7,790 more last month to increase his total loans to his campaign to $130,017.95.
"I'm going to continue to put money in where I see it need it," said Wallace, a partner in a disaster recovery company. "I am going to win."
Burnett, an attorney who is a former circuit judge and prosecutor, said the will prevail in a close race.
At least four other legislative candidates in Arkansas reported lending their campaigns more than $100,000 during the past several years, and each of them have lost.
Burnett and Wallace are vying in Senate District 22, which includes Mississippi and Poinsett counties and part of Craighead County. Burnett has been in the Senate since 2011. Wallace has been in the House of Representatives since 2015.
In his campaign finance report filed on Monday, Burnett reported raising $17,750 in contributions last month, to increase his total contributions to $89,780, and spending $7,627.50 last month, to increase his total expenses to $50,600.71. He reported $42,068.79 in his campaign account as of Sept. 30.
In his campaign finance report filed on Friday, Wallace reported raising $5,450 in contributions last month, to increase his total contributions to $46,230 and spending $11,514 last month, to increase his total spending to $78,262.02. He reported $93,973.63 in his campaign account as of Sept. 30, with the help of his loans totaling $130,017.95 to his campaign.
Boyd Thomas of Osceola, who described himself as a volunteer for Burnett's campaign, said last month that he mailed a complaint to the Arkansas Ethics Commission that questions whether Wallace has used funds beyond his own personal funds to lend to his Senate campaign. Wallace has said that he has used only his personal funds to make the loans.
In his campaign finance report for September, Burnett reported returning campaign contributions of $1,000 from the Gary Johnson farm account of Osceola; $500 apiece from Gairhan Farms of Trumann, JTB Development of Harrisburg and Osceola Liquors of Osceola; $350 from Land and Timber Resources of Osceola; and $250 from the Entertainment Software Association.
In amended campaign finance reports for August filed last month, Burnett reported returning a $1,000 contribution from B and S Partnership, $500 contributions apiece from Armorel Planting and Land and Timber Resources, $300 contributions from Gammill Farms of Tyronza and Ramey Farms of Blytheville, a $100 contribution from Larry's Auto Sales of Blytheville, and a $50 contribution from Red Barn Gardens of Blytheville.
Of the other contributions questioned by Hoggard, Burnett said a contribution $2,700 from Nucor of Armorel was from the company's PAC; a $500 contribution from Sanofi Services of Bridgewater, N.J., was from the firm's PAC; and a contribution of $1,605 from Burnett's law firm "is me. There is nobody else."
Under Arkansas Code Annotated 7-6-203, candidates may accept campaign contributions up to $2,700 per election from individuals, a political party, a county political party, a legislative caucus committee, and/or an approved political action committee. This limit doesn't apply to loans made by candidates from their own personal funds.
Metro on 10/19/2016