LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Attorney General and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Dustin McDaniel has admitted he had an inappropriate relationship with an attorney last year.
McDaniel said in a statement that he had "limited interaction" that was "inappropriate" with attorney Andrea Davis after meeting her during the 2010 campaign for attorney general. A spokesman for his campaign said the revelation does not affect McDaniel's decision to run for the Democratic nomination for governor.
"My wife Bobbi and I love each other very much," McDaniel said. "I have been candid with her about this matter, and with much prayer, we have moved on with our life together. I hope the people of Arkansas will also accept my apology and know how honored I am to work for them every day.”
The allegation came up originally in a custody suit in Garland County in which Davis' ex-husband accused her of cheating on him with McDaniel, Talk Business reported. The publication was the first to report news of McDaniel acknowledging the inappropriate relationship.
In a document filed earlier this month in Garland County Circuit Court in Davis' custody case with ex-husband Dr. Fred Day, Davis is asked to admit she had sexual relations with McDaniel in 2011 or 2012.
"Objection," her response reads. "The question asks for information irrelevant to the issues before the court and is asked solely to harass and annoy."
No details on the relationship were included in McDaniel's brief statement.
“I had limited interaction with her in 2011, some of which I regret to say was inappropriate," McDaniel said in the statement. "I have no knowledge of the other allegations contained in this pleading."
Tricia Wallace, a spokesman for McDaniel, said McDaniel has not been asked to testify in the custody case and is not expected to do so. She said no further specifics on the relationship would be released.
"We're not going to get into that level of detail," she said.
Wallace said the affair does not alter McDaniel's announced political plans.
"No, it doesn't," she said. "He is running for governor."
A message left with Davis' Hot Springs' office was not immediately returned late Tuesday morning.
McDaniel was the first candidate to formally announce he is running for governor.