Treasurer nominee settles ethics complaint

The Democratic nominee for state treasurer, Karen Garcia of Hot Springs, has agreed to be issued a public letter of caution by the state Ethics Commission in a settlement of an ethics complaint filed against her.

According to commission records released Friday, Garcia signed a settlement offer Sunday in which she agreed that she violated state law by omitting the address of a contributor on her March campaign finance report and by listing an incorrect amount on her June campaign finance report as the cumulative total received during the entire election cycle.

During its Sept. 19 meeting, the commission decided that probable cause exists for find- ing that Garcia unintentionally violated state law in this manner, commission Director Graham Sloan wrote in a letter dated Sept. 25 to Garcia.

David Singer of White Hall, a supporter of Republican treasurer candidate Dennis Milligan of Benton, filed the ethics complaint against Garcia in July.

Michael Cook, a spokesman for Garcia, said that “We’re happy to see the Ethics Commission has all but dismissed the exhaustive complaint filed by a Dennis Milligan supporter.

“The minor items found have all been corrected, and we’re excited about sharing with Arkansans why Karen Sealy Garcia is the most qualified candidate for state treasurer over the next 30 days,” Cook said.