LITTLE ROCK — State Rep. Mark Lowery, R-Maumelle, has been fined $150 and issued a public letter of caution by the Arkansas Ethics Commission in a settlement of a ethics complaint filed against him, the commission’s director said Friday.
In the settlement, Lowery agreed that he violated state law as a candidate for state representative by failing to timely file a final campaign finance report for the 2012 primary election. He also missed the deadline to file reports for July, August and September for the 2012 general election, commission Director Graham Sloan said in a letter to Lowery dated Jan. 17.
Lowery said Friday that he filed the reports late, and that future reports will be filed on time.
“I understand the ultimate responsibility is with me,” he said. “It was a mistake I made. I apologized to the voters. I did not intend to deceive them in any way. It was a paperwork snafu several times on my part.”
Lowery defeated Joshua Clausen of Maumelle by 9 votes in the Republican primary and then defeated Democrat Kelly Halstead of Maumelle by 616 votes in the general election, according to the secretary of state’s office.
The commission has power to impose fines of $25 to $1,000 and can also issue a public letter of caution, a public letter of reprimand or a public letter of warning.
Also Friday, the commission elected J. Barrington Minix of Little Rock as chairman and William Bird III of North Little Rock as vice chairman.
The commission’s previous chairman, Paul Dumas of Morrilton, resigned, effective Dec. 31.
Dumas, who was appointed to the commission in 2009, said in a letter to Sloan last month that he had accepted an appointment as Morrilton’s city attorney, effective Jan. 1, and he would be unable to serve as an ethics commissioner beyond Dec. 31.
Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Lamoureux, R-Russellville, hasn’t yet appointed Dumas’ successor.
Arkansas, Pages 11 on 01/26/2013