Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — A Morrilton lawyer has been appointed to the state Ethics Commission.
State Senate President Pro Tem Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow, announced Monday his appointment of Paul F. Dumas to the state panel that monitors and investigates compliance with state ethics laws.
Dumas, an attorney in private practice since 1998, will replace Linda Collins-Smith of Pocahontas on the commission. His term will expire at the end of 2012.
Collins-Smith resigned from the commission on June 30 to run for the state Legislature.
Dumas has served as city attorney for Plumerville and Perryville and city judge for Oppelo. He has resigned from all three court positions because state law does not allow government employees to serve on the Ethics Commission.
A 1986 graduate of El Dorado High School, Dumas graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 1993 and from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law in 1996. He is married and has three sons.
“I’ve known and respected Paul Dumas for many years,” Johnson said in a news release. “He’s dedicated to the practice of law and he’s active in his community, but no matter how busy he gets he always keeps his family at the top of his priorities. Paul Dumas is a solid person and a first-class individual.”
The release quoted Dumas as saying, “I’m honored to have this opportunity and I look forward to working with the Commission.”
Arkansas law authorizes the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House speaker and Senate president pro tem to nominate one member each to the five-member Ethics Commission.
