tim griffin Archives - We Find All The BS In Politics

Arkansas

Proposed crypto mining regulations clear Arkansas Senate, head to House • Arkansas Advocate

Two bills that would regulate cryptocurrency mining operations in Arkansas passed the state Senate Wednesday and will be considered by the House. Senate Bill 79 passed with 32 votes for and no dissent, while Senate Bill 78 passed with 26 votes in favor and three votes against it. A few senators abstained from voting on […]

Arkansas

Arkansas lawmakers reject proposed language to clarify applicability of purchasing laws • Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas lawmakers declined to vote Wednesday on proposed language in an appropriation bill that would have classified several executive branch offices as state “agencies” in light of a controversy over whether certain state purchasing laws apply to the governor’s office. An audit report made public last week found potential violations of several laws in the […]

Arkansas

Arkansas committee concludes probe of Corrections Board’s hiring of outside counsel • Arkansas Advocate

An Arkansas legislative panel will meet today to vote on next steps after concluding its investigation of potential violations of procurement law by the state Board of Corrections. The Joint Performance Review Committee has spent three meetings this month examining the board’s hiring of attorney Abtin Mehdizadegan to represent it in litigation with the state. […]

Arkansas

Arkansas lawmakers question governor’s lectern purchase, potential law violations found in audit • Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas lawmakers questioned representatives of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday in light of Monday’s audit report that highlighted several potential breaches of state law in the $19,000 purchase of a lectern for Sanders’ office last year. The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee heard the report and voted with no dissent […]

Arkansas

Audit report finds several potential breaches of Arkansas law in governor’s $19K lectern purchase • Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Legislative Audit’s report on the $19,000 purchase of a lectern for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office found several instances of “potential noncompliance” with state law and has been sent to the state attorney general and Pulaski County’s prosecuting attorney. Members of Sanders’ staff used a state-issued credit card to buy the lectern and a […]

Arkansas

Arkansas AG claims purchasing laws do not apply to governor, days before release of lectern audit • Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin released an opinion Wednesday, at Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request, declaring that certain executive branch officials such as the governor are not subject to certain laws that regulate purchases by government entities. Sanders’ request and Griffin’s response came just days before lawmakers are expected to release the results of Arkansas […]

Arkansas

Lawmakers criticize Arkansas Board of Corrections members, attorney over altered contract • Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas lawmakers spent six hours Thursday raking state Board of Corrections leaders and the board’s outside attorney over changes to the lawyer’s contract and how the board conducts its business. Members of the Joint Performance Review Committee criticized prison board chairman Benny Magness and secretary Lee Watson over the handling of the lawyer’s hiring. They […]

Arkansas

Arkansas Supreme Court affirms circuit court decision in voting machine lawsuit • Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court’s dismissal of a lawsuit that argued voting machines do not comply with state law. Arkansas Voter Integrity Initiative Inc. and its CEO Conrad Reynolds filed the lawsuit against Secretary of State John Thurston, the State Board of Election Commissioners and Election Systems and Software LLC […]

Arkansas

Arkansas Corrections Board plays fast and loose with open meetings law • Arkansas Advocate

Imagine a handful of journalists gathered in a small conference room at Department of Corrections headquarters in North Little Rock, their attention focused on an old business telephone on a small table as they strain to hear the disembodied and often unidentified voices of Board of Corrections members and staff emanating from the device. That’s […]

Arkansas

Legislative panels to probe Arkansas Board of Corrections contract, practices • Arkansas Advocate

State lawmakers on Friday initiated a pair of investigations into the Arkansas Board of Corrections over the prison oversight panel’s hiring of special counsel to sue the state. The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee will investigate the origins of the board’s contract with the Hall Booth Smith law firm and attorney Abtin Mehdizadegan; Joint Performance Review […]