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Friday, June 17, 2016

REGARDING THE ABC ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR'S FAILURE TO FILE REQUIRED FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM - IS A CONSENT JUDGMENT BEING OFFERED?

The Arkansas Ethics Commission was presented with general information by Commission attorney Drew Blankenship this morning regarding the complaint we made earlier this year.

In the complaint, we alleged that tainted ABC Enforcement Director Boyce Hamlet violated Arkansas Code Annotated § 21-8-701 (c)(1)(A) by failing to file the required Statement of Financial Interest within thirty days of his appointment as director of Alcohol Beverage Control Enforcement on March 24, 2015.

At the time that the regrettable and unfortunate decision was made by Governor Asa Hutchinson to have DFA Director Larry Walther appoint Hamlet, ole Boyce had unpaid state income taxes from when he was a parole officer that had resulted in DFA filing a Certificate of Indebtedness (a lien) against him.

Failure to pay taxes when due under Arkansas Code § 26-18-202 results in the individual being guilty of a Class D felony.

The publisher of this blog received a telephone call at 8:00 a.m., from Drew Blankenship with the Ethics Commission.  Blankenship advised him that the meeting at 9:00 a.m. was not the Probable Cause Hearing but rather a quick two minute oral presentation to the Ethics Commission in which they would either instruct him to further investigate the matter or based on the completeness of the publisher's own investigation and evidence included in his complaint, decide to offer Hamlet a Consent Judgment.

Blankenship advised that since it was clear that Hamlet failed to follow the law and submit the form, the most likely outcome would be that the Commission would simply offer a consent judgment based on the facts.

Blankenship further advised that the publisher was welcome to attend the public portion of the meeting and that Hamlet could address the Commission but the time to do so would be very limited.

Word is that a teary-eyed Hamlet pleaded ignorance and complained that he was being targeted.

HAMLET OFTEN WEEPS WHEN FACED WITH PROBLEMATIC ISSUES

Legal issues concerning Hamlet keep popping up.  In fact in just a few days a lawsuit is being filed against the Department of Finance and Administration and Hamlet that will be so problematic for DFA and Hamlet, Hamlet will probably call in sick and stay home and weep for days. If the lawsuit is successful, Hamlet will most likely have to pay back all funds he received as wages from the ABC and will probably be fired.

Let's hope he has a case of Kleenex and some Visine.

Stay tuned.