ABC ENFORCEMENT AGENT MICHAEL BUSH LOST BADGE

 

BUSH AND THE BADGE HE LOST

ABC Enforcement agent Michael Bush lost his ABC badge and ID card while he was on duty with the Arkansas National Guard at Fort Chaffee in June of this year.

 

It is also important to note that Bush frequently attends training for all sorts of things, most of which have nothing to do with his duties at the ABC.  It must be nice to enhance ones credentials for a future position at the taxpayers expense. 

*********

CLICK TO READ AN ARKANSAS TIMES ARTICLE THAT FEATURES BUSH

HUMP DAY HUMOR

ABC ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR BUD ROBERTS ADMITS HE LACKS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ABC ISSUES

 

ROBERTS

When Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed a little known Saline County divorce attorney, Gary "Bud" Ray Roberts, to head the ABC Administration, he stated “I am pleased to announce Bud Roberts as the new Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Bud’s breadth of experience in Arkansas law, in addition to the knowledge he possesses of the issues related to ABC, makes him the right choice as new director.”

CLICK TO VIEW PRESS RELEASE ABOUT ROBERTS 

This blog has published stories that have demonstrated that Roberts has no legal experience whatsoever in matters before the ABC.

It seems that Roberts has told individuals that he doesn't know much about the goings on at the ABC and that Mary Robin Casteel, "is probably the most knowledgeable person in the state on this subject".

Casteel actually filled the director's spot just before Robert's was appointed.

CASTEEL

 
Perhaps Roberts should resign and save the taxpayers the $89,857.46 salary he receives and let the more experienced Castell head up the ABC.

Everyone knows that he was appointed to the position not because of his knowledge and experience in matters relating to the ABC, but rather because his brother's law firm employs one of Asa's sons, and the large donation to Asa's campaign fund made by Roberts brother are the true reasons Bud received the appointment.

HUMP DAY HUMOR

ABC PLANS DAY OF PARTYING ON THE TAXPAYER'S DIME

 

ABC ENFORCEMENT SETS A DECEMBER PARTY DAY WITH FUN ACTIVITIES.

According to information obtained from the ABC, the ABC Enforcement staff plan to spend the entire day of December 17, 2015 partying.

From  10:30 AM until 12:30 PM they will be celebrating Xmas with a $10.00 gift exchange and a meal.

XMAS PARTY NOTICE EMAILED TO ABC ENFORCEMENT STAFF BY MILINDA BROWN

Then after lunch, from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM, they will continue the party.

NOTICE EMAILED TO ABC ENFORCEMENT STAFF BY MILINDA BROWN

Rest assured we will make inquiries to the ABC to find out how much this day cost the taxpayers (expenses, gasoline for agents to travel to Little Rock, etc).

ABC ONLY FOLLOWS ARKANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION'S WHEN IT BENEFITS THEM

Documents filed in a lawsuit brought by Rep. Julie Mayberry against the ABC Board regarding their decision to approve a permit for a liquor store within 1000 feet of a school, a violation of state law by the way, indicate that the ABC only wants to adhere to opinions of the Arkansas Attorney General when it benefits them.

ABC staff attorney Mary Robin Casteel questioned the relevance of an opinion made by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
 

CASTEEL THINKS RUTLEDGE'S OPINION ABOUT WHAT A CONSTITUTES A SCHOOLHOUSE STINKS

Rutledge issued an opinion (prepared by an assistant), Opinion No. 2015-040 which clearly stated that a daycare center, under Arkansas law, was to be considered a schoolhouse in connection with the ABC's 1000 foot requirement. The opinion cited case law that backed up her opinion.

In the ABC's response, Casteel stated that the ABC Board back in 1993 defined what they considered a schoolhouse to be.  The ABC Board's definition is flawed, in fact it is in direct opposition of the case law that Rutledge cited (predating the ABC's definition by some 60 years), and if the ABC is banking on this holding up in court they have lost already.

Casteel also makes an issue that the opinion was issued after the ABC approved the permit in question.  Surely the AG's Office could argue that the same finding would have been made if that opinion had been issued at an earlier date. 

If called as a witness for the Plaintiff, we feel sure that the Assistant Attorney General that drafted the opinion, James Madison "Matt" Barker III, would be able to state that he would have reached the same opinion even if he had made it on a different, earlier date.

BARKER AND HIS BOSS

 

ABC Administration Director Bud Roberts lambasted the daycare in a written report and questioned that it offered any type of educational curriculum.  Roberts apparently holds the opinion that a daycare center is nothing more than a babysitter. 

NOT ONLY IS ROBERTS SHORT SIGHTED, HE'S SHORT SLEEVED.

The day care center provides information about their "curriculum":

Heck, another state agency, the Department of Human Services, has recognized and licensed the daycare center in question as a place where early childhood education takes place. Maybe DHS will seek to intervene in the suit to defend the actions of it's Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

Clearly Roberts has little knowledge or experience concerning daycare centers and their importance in the early childhood education of the children that attend them.

It is highly amusing that the ABC has relied on opinions of the Attorney General to routinely deny the public information that is usually releasable under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, but in the matter thinks Rutledge's opinion is a bunch of baloney.

We wonder if the Attorney's Generals Office will seek to intervene in the case to defend the opinion issued by Rutledge as it has been attacked by the ABC? They might as well, a circus can never have too many clowns.

IS A SHOWDOWN LOOMING BETWEEN THESE TWO ATTORNEYS?

 CLICK TO READ THE ENTIRE PETITION/COMPLAINT

HUMP DAY HUMOR