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The Arkansas Ethics Commission dismissed complaints against Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge and Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester, both Republicans, according to documents from the commission.
Rutledge and Jester did not violate the law pertaining to campaign contribution and expenditure reports in their candidacies for the 2026 election cycle, the commission agreed. Both decisions were 4-0 votes with one commissioner absent, according to letters Ethics Commission Director Graham Sloan sent to Rutledge and Jester on Friday.
Rutledge is seeking a second and final term as lieutenant governor, and Jester is running for commissioner of state lands.
ArkLeg Bill Tracker co-founder Janie Ginocchio filed the complaints in September, alleging that Rutledge and Jester filed incomplete and inaccurate campaign finance reports.
Ginocchio also filed complaints against Attorney General Tim Griffin, state Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle, and state Sen. Ben Gilmore, R-Crossett, and political action committees associated with them. She alleged they all violated campaign contribution limits and prohibitions on illegal coordination of contributions, the use of public property for campaign purposes and public servants receiving outside payment for carrying out official duties.
Ray, Gilmore and Griffin all characterized the complaints as frivolous and politically motivated. The ethics commission has not yet ruled on the allegations.
Ginnochio accused Rutledge and Jester of violating the law mandating that campaign contribution and expenditure reports include the amount, date and recipients of campaign expenses over $100.
“While the original C&E reports in question include some expenditures without providing the ‘Description of Expenditure’ as requested on the report, a plain reading of [Arkansas law] does not require a description of an itemized expenditure to be provided,” Sloan wrote in both letters. “…Based upon the available facts and the applicable law, it appears the statutory filing requirements of these provisions have been fulfilled.”
Sloan acknowledged in his letters to Rutledge and Jester that since the complaints were filed, the two candidates have amended their contribution and expenditure reports for the sake of “transparency.”
The ethics commission also dismissed a complaint against Arkansas Association of Counties Executive Director Chris Villines, in his capacity as a member of the Arkansas Cyber Response Board. Ginnochio alleged that Villines failed to disclose business or holding information on a statement of financial interest for calendar year 2024.
Friday’s letter from Sloan to Villines about the dismissal incorrectly stated that the commission had issued Villines a public letter of caution. Sloan wrote in a follow-up letter on Tuesday that this language was incorrect and that he issued an amended letter with the language removed.
Sloan sent all three letters to Ginocchio in addition to the subjects of her complaints.
Jester told the Advocate he is “thankful for the role the Ethics Commission plays, not just in punishing bad actors, but in protecting good actors from inaccurate complaints.”
Rutledge’s office could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. This article was published with permission from the Arkansas Advocate. Contact Editor Andrew DeMillo for questions: [email protected]. Follow Arkansas Advocate on Facebook and Twitter.
