Auditors flag spending in Arkansas treasurer’s office

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas auditors have found that the state treasurer’s office has spent state funding on events, meals, gifts and personal purchases without a reasonable business purpose.

Auditors told lawmakers Thursday that state Treasurer Dennis Milligan’s office made the purchases between June 2015 and February 2017, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. They said the office spent almost $4,300 on catered events and meals, almost $840 for gifts and more than $800 in personal purchases.

Deputy Legislative Auditor Jon Moore said the office has reimbursed the gifts and personal purchases. But he said Arkansas law bans a state constitutional officer or their employees from spending state funding for personal use, maintenance and operation of the office.

Milligan wrote a letter to auditors that said his office thought the expenditures were a legiti-

mate expense. He said purchases now require approval from a supervisor and a chief deputy treasurer.

“I will continue to be a good steward of the taxpayers’ funds and implement whatever processes are necessary to accomplish that task,” Milligan wrote.

Milligan is a former Saline County circuit clerk and a former chairman of the state Republican Party. He has been treasurer since January 2015.

The treasurer’s office manages more than $3 billion for Arkansas. Interest earnings on those funds have increased since Milligan became treasurer.

Milligan announced last month that he will be seeking re-election to his second fouryear term in the 2018 election.

Arkansas AG’s spokesman leaving for White House job

LITTLE ROCK — The top spokesman for Arkansas’ attorney general is leaving to take a job in the Trump White House.

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced Friday that her communications director, Judd Deere, is stepping down Nov. 17 after accepting a job at the White House as the director of state and local communications. Deere has served as Rutledge’s communications director since December 2014. During the 2014 election, Deere had worked as deputy campaign manager and communications director for Tim Griffin’s successful race for lieutenant governor.

He had also previously worked for Republican U.S. Sens. John Boozman of Arkansas and Mike Crapo of Idaho.

A replacement for Deere has not been named yet.

2 Arkansas guards injured while trying to seize contraband

DERMOTT — Arkansas prison officials say two of its guards suffered minor injuries as they tried to seize contraband from inmates at a unit in the southeastern corner of the state.

The Arkansas Department of Correction said Friday that multiple inmates attacked the guards at the Delta Regional Unit near Dermott during the evening Thursday. The pair received over-the-counter medication for bruises and lacerations.

The inmates also broke windows in the housing area before officers regained control of the unit.

The prison system has seen a number of violent confrontations recently. Three guards were assaulted at two facilities in September and three guards were held hostage in August. In July, a guard fired warning shots into the air after two guards and an inmate were attacked. One inmate died after another assault.