MAGGIO’S SEVEN PAC

 

Michael Maggio of Conway, Arkansas appeared to be living the American dream.  He was a rising star in the Arkansas Republican party, going from deputy prosecuting attorney, small claims judge, Municipal Judge to Circuit Judge. On January 1, 2001 Republican Governor Mike Huckabee appointed Maggio Circuit Judge of the Twentieth Circuit consisting of Faulkner, Searcy and Van Buren Counties where he has served continuously to this date. 

 

In June 2013 Judge Maggio announced he was seeking a promotion and would be a candidate for the Arkansas Court of Appeals in 2014.

 

On March 4, 2014 Judge Maggio announced he was withdrawing as a candidate for the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

 

Events which derailed Judge Maggio’s ascent in the Republican galaxie of judicial politics:

 

On March 3, 2014 Matt Campbell, a little Rock Attorney who writes a political blog entitled “Blue Hog Report” identified Judge Maggio as the person using the name “geauxjudge” on a website, “Tiger Droppings.com.   “Geauxjudge”  published information about a confidential adoption and made various comments that were considered sexist, racist, perverse and homophobic. 

 

In addition to Matt Campbell’s Blue Hog Reports, Courtney Spradlin with the Conway Log Cabin Democrat, Max Brantley with the Arkansas Times, Debra Hale-Shelton and Lisa Hammersly with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette have investigated and published many articles about Judge Maggio official activities, his conduct and his associates.

 

Complaints were filed against Judge Maggio which are being investigated by The Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission and the Arkansas Ethics Commission  

 

Events of 2013

 Judge Maggio presided over a trial brought by the estate of Martha Bull against the

 

Greenbrier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.  A Faulkner County jury awarded the Bull estate $5.2 million for the wrongful death of Ms. Bull.

 

Judge Maggio heard a motion filed by Greenbrier Nursing to reduce the amount of the jury verdict.

 

Three days later Judge Maggio reduced the $5.2 million jury verdict against Greenbrier to $1 million.

 

 

Michael Morton owner of Greenbrier Nursing paid thousands of dollars into Judge Maggio’s campaign fund through seven PACS filed for registration by attorney Charles Stewart.  Morton said Linda Flannigan asked him: “Would I support Judge Maggio in the appeals court race” during the Bull Trial in May or while the judgment was under review in July and he asked Flannigan to “just send me something” and received a one sheet fax which said it was the Maggio campaign and listed seven PAC’S.  Morton instructed his secretary to write checks to the seven PAC’S.

 

Stewart refuses to give the name of the person or persons who employed him to set up the seven PACS.

 

The registration forms for the seven PAC’S contains a sworn notarized affidavit that: Stewart is the resident agent and a PAC officer for all PACS,  Delta Bank and Trust 11700 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Ar is the official depository for all  PACS, and Linda Flannigan, Ancil Lea, Sarah Dye, Steve Goode, Cheryl Loetscher and Don Thomas were PAC officers.

Morton made a first time contribution of $100,000 to the University of Central Arkansas

 

People and their relationship

Linda Flannigan employee of Gilbert Baker’s LRM Consulting Inc.

Gilbert Baker former Republican State Senator, Former chairman of Faulkner County and State Republican party, Executive Assistant to the president of the University of Central Arkansas

Charles Stewart formed LRM Consulting Inc for Baker.

Baker, Stewart and Lea were officers in Arkansas Faith Freedom Coalation.

Sarah Dye is an employee of Stewart.

Don Thomas was Baker’s campaign manager in 2008 and the employer of Cheryl Loetscher.

Morton said he talked with Baker frequently.

 

March 2014

Judge Maggio withdrew as a candidate for the Court of Appeals

Thomas, Flannigan, Loetscher and Lea denied any knowledge of the PACS and denied  giving anyone permission to show them as PAC officers.

UCA returned Morton’s $100,000 gift.

Baker resigned  his $132,200 a year position of Executive Assistant to the president of UCA

Stewart said he was officially closing the seven PACS

 

Arkansas law prohibits judicial candidates from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions more than 180 days before the election date.

 

Citizens of Arkansas are depending on the Arkansas Ethics Commission, the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission to follow the Greenbrier Morton money through the seven PACS, into Judge Maggio’s campaign fund for the Court of Appeals and if laws were broken to punish the offenders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUPER PAC’S PICKING POLITICIANS

 

Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam with assets of $37.9 billion greatly influenced “picking” the 2012 Republican presidential nominee.   When the Adelson’s believed Newt Gingrich would be the nominee they contributed $15 million to the Gingrich PAC “Winning Our Future.”  When it appeared Romney was the likely nominee, the Adelson’s  dropped Gingrich and contributed $30 million to the Romney PAC “Restore Our Future.”

 

After the 2012 election Sheldon told The Wall Street Journal his political spending was not turned off and in fact  he would devote more resources to future elections.  “I don’t cry when I lose.” He said “There’s always a new hand coming up.”

 

A lengthy list of  2016 aspiring Republican Presidential candidates are jockeying to win the Adelson millions in what some are calling the “Sheldon Primary.”  A senior GOP strategist said 2016 Republican Presidential hopefuls “are just falling at Sheldon’s feet because he represents the largest or second largest box of money.”

 

The Adelson’s invited Rand Paul, Chris Christie, Scott Walker, Jeb Bush and John Kasich to their Venetian Casino for a week-end of GOP politics and Las Vegas opulence on March 27-30, 2014.  Rand Paul had a prior commitment and did not attend.  However, Bush, Christie, Walker and Kasich eagerly made the pilgrimage to Las Vegas and met behind closed doors with Adelson hoping to receive millions for their 2016 presidential campaigns.

 

Republicans know under the current political landscape a handful of donors like Adelson can dramatically alter a presidential campaign with just a check or two.

 

Super PAC’S first appeared in July 2010 and now number 1,310.

 

Super PAC’S collected $828,224,700 in 2012 and the top SUPER PAC’S with amount collected in 2012 are:

RESTORE OUR FUTURE $153,741,731.

AMERICAN CROSSROADS $117,472,407.

PRIORITIES USA ACTION $79,050,419.

MAJORITY PAC $42,121.541.

HOUSE MAJORITY PAC $35,844.951.

 

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln spent $100,000 on his presidential campaign, Calvin Coolidge spent $4 million in 1924 and George W. Bush spent $367 million in 2004

According to the Center For Responsive Politics total spending on behalf of President Obama in 2012 skyrocketed to more than $1.1 billion and the total spent on behalf of Mr. Romney was more than $1.0 billion.

 

 

The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5 to 4 decision in the case of Citizens United on January 21, 2010 allowed unlimited corporate political spending as free speech.  On April 2, 2014  in the case of McCutcheon the same 5 judges ruled individuals should be allowed unlimited political spending as free speech.

 

Justice Breyer in a dissenting opinion in the McCutcheon case said.  “If the court in Citizens United opened a door, today’s decision may well open a floodgate, so that a few large donations drown out the voices of the many.”

 

Have  the Super PAC’S of  Adelson and other billionaires drowned out the voices of the unemployed, the disabled, the homeless, those living in poverty and those without adequate health care?   Was Justice Breyer correct—the Super PAC’S  have drowned out the voices of the poor and disabled in politics?

 

Not one Super PAC’S was set up for the purpose of helping the poor and disabled.

 

In the 2012 elections 80 to 90 percent of the Super PAC’S ads were negative, personal attacks.  Candidates seldom if ever discussed their qualifications for the office they sought or discussed their plans for solving the problems facing voters.

 

Some believe when voters go to the polls they are not really voting FOR any of the candidates and too often they cast a vote AGAINST a candidate they have been made to hate.

 

How will the billionaire Super PAC’S affect the 2016 elections?   More important how will the negative, personal attack Super PAC’S  ads affect your vote.

 

Data compiled by the Sunlight Foundation show 11 PAC’S have spent more than $2.4 million in negative ads opposing Pryor and Cotton in their race for the U.S Senate in Arkansas.  Since August 2013 Little Rock TV stations have broadcast 4,017 political ads.

 

In North Carolina the Koch Brothers have spent more than $7.2 million in the last year blanketing the state with television and radio ads attacking Democrat U.S. Senator Kay Hagan.

 

Did Oscar Ameringer have it correct when he said “Politics is the art by which politicians obtain campaign contributions from the rich and votes from the poor on the pretext of protecting each from the other.”

 

 

 

 

NONE OF GOVERNMENT’S DAMN BUSINESS

 

Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky on March 6, 2014 addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) a gathering of the most passionate, engaged and eager Republicans.  Paul received raucous cheers from the CPAC audience when he said “I believe what you do on your cell phone is none of their damn business” referring to the government’s cell phone data collection.

 

One day after riveting the CPAC packed convention ballroom with his “none of their damn business” speech Paul won the support of 31% of the 2,459 attendees voting in the 2016 Presidential nominee poll over more than two dozen Republican presidential contenders.  Paul crushed Ted Cruz, the second place finisher who received 11% of the votes and Arkansas’s Mike Huckabee who received 2%.

 

Encouraged by his reception at CPAC  Paul on  March 19, 2014 went to the University of California at Berkeley where his audience of some 400 people erupted in cheers and tremendous applause when he said: “ I believe what you do on your cell phone is none of their damn business.” .

 

Many people believe Rand  Paul has launched his bid for the Republican Presidential nominee in 2016 by going around the country repeating the 100 year old Republican mantra of  “less government” with a new twist “ what you do is none of government’s damn business.”

 

 Hopefully Paul will schedule meetings all across the COUNTRY and explain to voters why it is  “NONE OF GOVERNMENT’S  DAMN BUSINESS” if:

 

I USE MY CELL PHONE TO SELL ILLEGAL DRUGS ON THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND

 

I SMOKE MARIJUANA

 

I HIRE 12 YEAR OLD CHILDREN TO WORK IN MY COAL MINE OR OTHER BUSINESS 18 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK

 

I SLAUGHTER SICK OR DISEASED ANIMALS AND CHICKENS AND SELL YOU THEIR MEAT.

 

I PAY MY WORKERS $1 A DAY OR WHETHER I HAVE INSURNCE COVERING ON THE JOB INJURES

 

I DRIVE MY CAR 100 MILES PER HOUR IN A SCHOOL ZONE OR OTHER CONGESTED ARE, DRIVE WITHOUT A LICENSE OR DRIVE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS

 

ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCEPT MONEY FOR POLITICAL FAVORS.

 

PEOPLE LIVE IN POVERTY OR DIE FROM LACK OF MEDICAL CARE.

 

One speech should be scheduled in Charleston West Virginia for the 300,000 people who were without water because Freedom Industries dumped chemicals in the Elk River to hear Paul explain why:  “IT IS NONE OF GOVERNMENT’S DAMN BUSINESS IF I DUMP TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THE ELK RIVER.” 

 

Another speech should be scheduled in Mayflower, Arkansas for Paul to explain why:  “IT IS NONE OF GOVERNMENT’S DAMN BUSINESS” WHERE I RUN MY OIL PIPELINE , WHAT KIND OF PIPE I USE IN BUILDING MY PIPELINE and invite all the property owners in Mayflower who had to move because crude oil was flowing in their homes due to a ruptured pipeline.

 

Another speech should be scheduled in Marshall, Arkansas for Paul to explain why: “IT IS NONE OF GOVERNMENT’S DAMN BUSINESS WHERE I PUT IN A HOG FARM” and invite all the people who are opposed to having a hog farm near the Buffalo River.

 

Perhaps the Republican faithful will sponsor a march on Washington D.C. on the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “ I have a dream” speech.

 

Like King  Paul can stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, look out over the thousands of Republican faithful and state his dream for the American people on  abortions and same sex marriages two of the most important Republican issues -- in language something like this: 

 

“I have a dream that some day Americans will rise up and elect a President who will stand up for your liberty and your freedom, a president who has the courage to say  ‘what you do is none of government’s damn business.’    If you want to have an abortion ‘it is none of government’s damn business.’  If you want to marry a person of the same sex ‘it is none of government’s damn business.’

 

If you elect Rand Paul president Republicans will realize their 100 year dream of less government and lower taxes and there will be “no damn government”  to interfere with anything you want to do.”

 

Senator Rand Paul and all other Republicans who believe what you do  “IS NONE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S DAMN BUSINESS” please tell us WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT’S BUSINESS.

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN  ARKANSAS REPUBLICANS ARE IN CHARGE

The Republican controlled 2014 session of the Arkansas Legislature lasted 38 days—13 days longer than either the 2010 or 2012 sessions and INCREASED revenue spending  $109 million for the fiscal year beginning July 2014.

 

For the first time since Amendment 82 was adopted in 2004 the Republican controlled 2014 legislature approved a $125 million bond issue and a corporate welfare package of tax breaks, grants and loans worth $325 million to help the billionaire Koch brothers Big River Steel to build a steel mill in Mississippi County where there are two other steel mills.

 

The Republican controlled legislature granted big oil companies sales-tax exemptions, valued at $5.1 million per year, on sand used in their oil/gas drilling operations.

 

Republican Mark Darr, the Lieutenant Governor, on August 23, 2013 filed a complaint against himself with The Arkansas State Ethics Commission admitting there were problems with his election finance reports. 

 

After investigating the complaints against Darr The Arkansas Ethics Commission on December 19, 2013 found Darr guilty of 11 violations of ethics and campaign finance laws and fined him $11,000.  which fine Darr agreed to pay.

 

On January 7, 2014 Darr said his activities were an “oversight”  he “erred” but such activities were “not worthy of my removal from office” and he would not resign. Twelve days later on January 19, 2014 Darr announced his resignation effective February 1, 2014  and issued this statement  “I made mistakes but not one with malicious intent.”

 

Republican Mark Martin, the Arkansas Secretary of State, budget for 2012 was  $26,507,761.00  compared to the $15.7 million spent by Democrat Charlie Daniel the previous fiscal year.  Martin lists a staff of 123 members showing Martha Adcock and Tiffany Minyard as his legal staff.

By law the Attorney General of Arkansas represents the Secretary of State and since 1905 every Secretary of State has used the Attorney General to handle all legal matters.

With taxpayer paying the salary of two lawyers on his staff and the taxpayers paying the Attorney General to represent him Martin hired the following lawyers and paid them the amounts indicated:

                    Chisenhall, Nestrud & Julian , PA $68,364.30

                    Patrick L. Hays LLC $13,290.93

                    The Asa Hutchinson Law Group PLC  $12,742.40

                    John Willems $3,300.00

                    Richard L. Hughes $1,822.50

                     Debbie L. Petrie  $1,477.14

                    Dover, Dixon, Home PLLC $1,245.00

                    L. Jones Law Firm PLC $750.00

                    Allison R. Gladden $750.00

 

Pulaski Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox on August 12, 2013 ruled that Marin violated state law when he hired outside counsel instead of using the attorneys on his staff or using the Arkansas attorney general’s office.  I am unable to find any further action taken on the ruling of Judge Fox.

 

On February 7, 2012 Republican District 9 State Senator Bruce “fireball” Holland pled guilty to trying to outrun a deputy sheriff in a chase across two counties involving speeds of 110 miles an hour.  Holland apologized paid a fine of $890.00 and was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.

 

State Republican representative John Hutchinson from Harrisburg on August 23, 2013 paid a $150.00 fine levied by the Arkansas Ethics Commission for breaking the law when he used campaign funds during his 2012 election for personal expenses.

 

State Capitol security video captured Republican House Speaker Davy Carter and fellow Republican legislators John Burris, Duncan Baird and Micah Neal escorting former lobbyist Katherine Vasilos and her lady friend on a tour of the state capitol between 1:40 am and 3am on October 18. 2013.

 

Cleburne County’s District 66 Republican Representative, Josh Miller, was involved in a catastrophic car accident 11 years ago which left him paralyzed and with roughly $1 million in medical bills.  Miller was placed on disability, Medicare and Medicaid  paid his medical bills and continue to fund HIS private personal care on a DAILY BASIS. Although Miller has received more than $1 million in Medicare and Medicaid benefits he opposed and voted against providing one penny of Medicaid benefits to 250,000 Arkansas citizens under the Affordable Care Act in Arkansas.

 

During the Arkansas 2010 general election Republican candidates from the state house to the dog house spent millions of dollars bashing Obama, Pelosi, Reed although those names were not on any ballot and campaigned as Christians with conservative values.

 

Darr, Martin. Holland, Carter, Burris, Baird, Neal and Miller’s apparently believe they conducted themselves as Christian conservatives.

 

Republican members of the Arkansas legislature apparently believe they acted in a conservative Christian manner when they doled out millions of taxpayer dollars in corporate welfare to big steel and big oil companies while opposing Medicare benefits for the Arkansas poor.

 

Your vote in the next election should reflect your evaluation of the Arkansas Republican’s performance individually and collectively after they were in control for the first time in 138 years?