Ethics violations, impeachment threats compel Mark Darr's early exit
January 15, 2014
Little Rock, Arkansas: "Politics can be a toxic business. I will no longer subject my family to its hard lessons," Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas Mark Darr said in a statement last week explaining his decision to step down from office, effective February 1, 2014.[1] Darr announced his resignation on January 10, 2014. [2][3]
After an investigation by the Ethics Commission in January 2013, Darr acknowledged his 11 violations of state ethics and campaign laws since 2010. He then agreed to pay $1,000 in fines for each violation. Darr spent $31,572.74 of his campaign funds for personal use. He also lacked adequate records, did not itemize loan repayments, accepted improper reimbursement for travel and received excess contribution to retire his campaign debt. A different legislative audit completed in December, 2013, revealed over $12,000 in improper expenses incurred by the lieutenant governor's office.[4][5] Darr maintains that the violations were oversights and he did not profit off of them. Despite threats of impeachment, Darr, who said there was no public call for his resignation, initially refused to leave office. Governor of Arkansas Mike Beebe called for Darr to resign the day after his acknowledgement of the violations.
"It would be an immediate fix to tuck tail and run but I would regret it for years to come. I am a normal citizen, who ran for office, who is trying to do my job to the best of my ability with integrity and character," Darr said.[6]
Soon after settling with the ethics commission for $11,000, Darr was facing the threat of impeachment if he did not step down. To avoid the potential ugliness of such proceedings, he announced he was "submitting his resignation to the people of Arkansas, not an elected official." In fact, he had submitted it to House Speaker Davy Carter and Senate President Michael Lamoureux.[7][2][3]
Even before he decided to leave office one year before his term's scheduled expiration date, Darr's political prospects were up the air. Shunning the possibility of running for re-election as lieutenant governor in 2014, Darr declared last August his candidacy for an open seat in the U.S. House, representing Arkansas's 4th District in 2014.[8][9][10][11][12][13] The much-hyped congressional bid proved short-lasting, however, with Darr entering the race August 12, 2013, and, two weeks later, shutting down his campaign amid accusations of misconduct.[2][14]
Prior to entering politics, Darr was a pizza shop owner and insurance agent.[15] It is unclear as of January 15 if and when Darr will be replaced after he formally vacates the office February 1.
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See also
- Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
- Mark Darr
- Governor of Arkansas
- Mike Beebe
- Arkansas House of Representatives
Footnotes
- ↑ Newsmax.com, "Ark. Lt. Gov. Mark Darr: I'll Resign Over Ethics Case," January 11, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Arkansas: Lieutenant Governor Quitting Under Pressure," January 10, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Arkansas Times, "Arkansas Lt. Gov. Mark Darr to resign Feb. 1, cites politics, family," January 10, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs nameddaily - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedkansas - ↑ Arkansas Business, Lt. Gov. Mark Darr Says He Won't Resign, January 7, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ Arkansas Times, "Arkansas Lt. Gov. Mark Darr to resign Feb. 1, cites politics, family," January 10, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Matters, "Mark Darr Announces Run for U.S. Congress," August 12, 2013
- ↑ 5NewsOnline, "Lt. Governor Endorses Hutchinson in 2014," February 12, 2013
- ↑ Arkansasonline, "Darr won’t run for governor in ’14, backs Hutchinson," February 12, 2013
- ↑ Talk Business, "McDaniel Releases Internal Poll: Winning Primary, Trouble in General," December 13, 2012
- ↑ KFSM 5newsonlines.com, "Mark Darr Eyeing Congressional Race," May 13, 2013
- ↑ Roll Call, "Second Republican Enters Race to Replace Cotton | #AR04," August 13, 2013
- ↑ Talk Business, "Darr Canceling Congressional Bid, Goes On Record About Exit (UPDATED)," August 29, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpvs
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