LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Arkansas has had its share of notable corruption
scandals over the years, but a flurry of recent cases has been eye-popping for
even the most jaded veterans of the state’s politics.
Seven lawmakers from both major parties have been ensnared in federal
corruption probes over the past two years. They include a nephew of the current
governor, a champion of campaign finance reform and a top county official who
admitted to taking bribes funneled through the church where he was a pastor.
This flood of recent cases has stirred fears that the Capitol is becoming
better known as a hotbed of corruption than for any policy achievements, and
legislative leaders are scrambling to repair that image and find ways of
deterring future misdeeds.
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