Arkansas Ethics Commission finds contributions to Springdale senator, former House candidate in violation

State senator, unsuccessful House candidate took improper contributions

Arkansas state Sen. Colby Fulfer (left), R-Springdale, and Kenneth “Max” Blake, a Republican who lost in the 2022 primary for the Arkansas House District 48 seat, are shown in this undated combination photo. (Left, courtesy photo; right, NWA Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Saccente)
Arkansas state Sen. Colby Fulfer (left), R-Springdale, and Kenneth “Max” Blake, a Republican who lost in the 2022 primary for the Arkansas House District 48 seat, are shown in this undated combination photo. (Left, courtesy photo; right, NWA Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Saccente)

The Arkansas Ethics Commission has determined a Springdale senator and a former Republican House candidate violated state law by accepting contributions from entities not found on the list of permissible contributors.

Sen. Colby Fulfer, R-Springdale, was fined $100 by the Arkansas Ethics Commission and was issued a public letter of caution for receiving a campaign contribution from an entity not on the list of permissible contributors and for failing to timely file his campaign contribution and expenditure reports for the special primary election and the special general election.

The committee stated in documents that Fulfer's campaign contribution and expenditure report during the special election for the state senate contained an apparently illegal contribution Nov. 20, 2021.

He listed a loan from Wilkins Homes for $20,000, but under campaign finance rules loans can only be made from one of two sources: a personal loan from the candidate to his campaign, or a loan from a financial institution to the candidate that the candidate then applied to the campaign.

"The loan is clearly not a personal loan from you. There is no indication that Wilkins Homes is a financial institution," documents state. "If it is not a proper loan, then it must be considered a contribution from Wilkins Homes, and the amount of the contribution exceeds the donation limits to campaigns."

The commission said the money was given at a time when it appears Fulfer didn't have a sufficient balance in his campaign fund to pay its expenses.

"Listing it as a loan appears to be an attempt to evade campaign contribution limits," the commission said.

The commission also said Fulfer violated the law by failing to timely file his campaign contribution and expenditure reports for the special primary election and the special general election.

"The Commission noted that the time frame for filing reports was compressed in the special election, which contributed to the late filing of the final [campaign contribution and expenditure report] for the special primary election," the documents state. "Likewise, the Commission recognized that you were unable to file the final report for the special general election on March 30, 2022, because you were engaged in the City of Springdale's response to a tornado that occurred in Springdale that morning."

Kenneth "Max" Blake, who ran for the Arkansas House District 48 seat but lost in the Republican primary, was issued a public letter of caution for receiving a $500 contribution from a limited liability company called W.D. Builders.

The commission stated in documents that Blake unintentionally violated Arkansas law by accepting a contribution from an entity not found on the list of permissible contributors.

"Pursuant to the terms of that offer, you have been issued a public letter of caution, which is the lowest level of public letter issued by the commission," the documents state.


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