Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — The news director of a public radio station at Arkansas State University did not violate state ethics laws when he attempted to send U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s campaign an e-mail describing one of her political opponents as a “nimrod,” the state Ethics Commission ruled today.

The commission dismissed a complaint filed by Maumelle resident Charles Tenney over an e-mail that Greg Chance, news director for National Public Radio affiliate KASU in Jonesboro, apparently tried to send to Lincoln’s campaign earlier this year. Chance accidentally sent the e-mail to the campaign of Republican senatorial candidate Conrad Reynolds.

In the e-mail, Chance forwarded a news release from Reynolds’ campaign and referred to Reynolds as “this nimrod.”

The complaint alleged that Chance used his university-issued e-mail account and computer for Lincoln’s campaign. The commission said Friday that an investigation showed Chance was not campaigning for Lincoln when he sent the e-mail.

The commission also noted that state law prohibiting the use of publicly funded personal property for political campaigns does not apply to the campaigns of federal candidates.