|
|
| |
| Wed, Oct. 8, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
Beebe: Democratic leader right to rebuke members who help GOP candidates Thursday, May 8, 2008 By John Lyon Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Gov. Mike Beebe said Wednesday he supports state Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney in his effort to discourage elected Democrats from supporting Republican candidates. In an April 23 letter to Democratic officeholders, Gwatney wrote that when Democrats host fundraisers for Republicans, they "work against their own self-interest as well as the interest of the Democratic Party." Gwatney wrote the letter after incoming House Speaker Robbie Wills, D-Conway, and 11 other Democrats were listed among the hosts of a fundraiser last month for Rep. Bryan King, R-Green Forest. Also, Senate President Pro Tem Jack Critcher, D-Batesville, and incoming Senate President Pro Tem Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow, hosted a fundraiser last year for Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, former chairman of the state Republican Party. "I support (former) Sen. Gwatney," Beebe told reporters Wednesday. "He's our chairman. He is obviously concerned about the number of people in the Democratic Party that have worked very hard to elect Democratic candidates and is a little disconcerted over elected Democratic officials that publicly support somebody of the other party when they've got a Democrat in the race. To that extent, I agree with that." During the 2006 gubernatorial race, Baker helped raise money for an independent advocacy group that ran ads that tried to link Beebe to the scandal that ended the career of former Sen. Nick Wilson, who was convicted of racketeering. Beebe is now backing the Democratic opponent to Baker's re-election bid, Joe White of Conway. Wills told the Arkansas News Bureau last week that he made a commitment to help King raise money in return for King's support of his campaign for House speaker. Wills said he believes bipartisanship in the state House is a positive thing. Gwatney wrote in his letter that although working coalitions between Democrats and Republicans are helpful in forming public policy, "friendships for legislative purposes should be left at the door of the Capitol. Please do not be fooled into thinking that anyone on the other side will be your friend while in the middle of an election." Sen. Jerry Taylor, D-Pine Bluff, who supports Baker's re-election bid, said he disagreed with the Democratic chairman. Taylor said Gwatney wrote that "he understood when you were working on (legislation) you take help where you can get it, but once you step outside the chambers you need to forget your friendships. Well, that's ridiculous." Taylor said Baker once helped him in 2007 to get close to $4 million in seed money for a water conservation district in Jefferson County that is trying to preserve the Sparta Aquifer, the region's major water supply. "Mr. Gwatney thinks you ought to forget that when you walk out of the chamber? Those are the kind of things that you remember for a long time," Taylor said. ------- Reporter Rob Moritz contributed to this report. |
