Arkansas
Government transparency group sues Arkansas AG over rejection of proposed amendment – Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas government transparency advocates sued Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday, claiming his repeated rejection of a proposed amendment to the state Constitution is a misuse of his powers.
The nonpartisan Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT) has been trying since November to gain Griffin’s approval of language for two proposed ballot measures: an initiated act to alter the state Freedom of Information Act and a constitutional amendment that would create the right to government transparency and restrict the Legislature’s ability to limit it.
Griffin has until Wednesday to approve or reject the third iteration of the proposed amendment and until Thursday to approve or reject the third iteration of the proposed act.
ACT’s complaint to the Arkansas Supreme Court alleges that Griffin’s refusal to certify previous versions of the Arkansas Government Transparency Amendment was based on personal disapproval and an attempt to prevent the group from having enough time to gather signatures in support of the measures. Proposed amendments require 90,704 signatures from registered voters by July 5 to qualify for the November ballot.
“The power to initiate an amendment is specifically reserved to the people of this state,” ACT wrote in the complaint. “The Attorney General is using his statutory duty to review and approve a ballot title to prevent the people from proposing the text of the amendment they want, denying approval of a popular name and a ballot title unless the text of the proposed amendment is written as directed by him, and using the ballot title process to prevent the petitioner from collecting signatures on the petition.”
The first two amendment proposals said the state Legislature “shall not make a law that diminishes public access to government” without the approval of the people of Arkansas. The third proposal did not include this clause or a definition of the phrase “diminishes public access to government” in response to one of Griffin’s continuing concerns.
It is not the Attorney General’s right to effectively decide the fate of this measure by denying approval of a popular name and ballot title.
– Arkansas Citizens for Transparency, CV-24-40
Griffin rejected the first draft of the amendment Dec. 11, saying it lacked clarity in its use of specific terms, including “government transparency,” which he claimed had “partisan coloring” and “seems more designed to persuade than inform” potential voters.
ACT submitted a new draft, which included four potential ballot titles, on Dec. 20 with a definition of government transparency as “the government’s obligation to share information with citizens.”
Earlier this month, Griffin rejected the second draft and wrote in his opinion that a definition was not enough because the existing Arkansas Freedom of Information Act does not use the term “government transparency.”
“The Attorney General again refused to approve and certify any of the proposed popular names and ballot titles submitted by the Petitioner and failed to substitute and certify a more suitable and correct ballot title and popular name,” ACT’s complaint states. “Instead, he issued a condescending and improper opinion chastising the Petitioner for not following his previous opinion in not writing the text of the measure as he wanted it written and not as the Petitioner wanted.”
David Couch, one of the five attorneys on ACT’s seven-member drafting committee, said after the second rejection that a lawsuit was “imminent” and that Griffin’s decisions violated the people’s constitutional rights.
“I am confident in our review and analysis of ballot submissions and look forward to the Arkansas Supreme Court’s review in this case,” Griffin said in a statement through a spokesperson.
ACT lawsuit CV-24-40
Reasons for rejection
The Arkansas AG’s office had long reviewed ballot titles and popular names until the General Assembly, with support of then-Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, shifted ballot title certification responsibility to the State Board of Election Commissioners in 2019.
Early last year, Act 194 of 2023 shifted this power back to the attorney general’s office.
The attorney general may reject a ballot title and popular name if they “would be misleading or designed in such manner that a vote “FOR” the issue would be a vote against the matter or viewpoint that the voter believes himself or herself casting a vote for, or, conversely, that a vote “AGAINST” the issue would be a vote for a viewpoint that the voter is against,” according to Act 194.
This was not the case regarding ACT’s first two submissions of the proposed amendment, the complaint states.
“Because he did not find the ballot title was designed in a misleading manner, he is required to either approve and certify the ballot title submitted or to substitute and certify a ballot title,” the complaint states.
Griffin cited the “lack of the full text” of the amendment as reasons to reject both proposals. He clarified in his second rejection that this meant an “attempt to incorporate key provisions of the FOIA into the constitution by referencing the FOIA’s key terms” without specifically referencing the law or defining those terms. He also wrote that the proposed amendment did not clarify the impact it would have on state statutes.
ACT wrote in the complaint that these reasons did not merit a rejection of the ballot title and popular name.
“The Attorney General’s rejection of the ballot title and popular name demonstrates that he has either a complete lack of understanding of his role in the initiative process or he is intentionally thwarting the effort of the petitioner to get this amendment approved for the ballot so that the voters of the state can decide its merits,” the complaint states. “It is not the Attorney General’s right to effectively decide the fate of this measure by denying approval of a popular name and ballot title.”
State law allows petitioners to appeal to the Supreme Court if they believe a measure has been unfairly rejected. ACT’s complaint asks the court to “compel the Attorney General to approve or rewrite the popular name and ballot title for each measure.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Behind a fully-torqued defensive effort, the No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) claimed victory 79-67 over the Little Rock Trojans inside Bud Walton Arena on Friday night in Fayetteville.
Arkansas’ intensity was evident at the get-go, as head coach John Calipari’s club ripped off five steals on Little Rock’s first five possessions, good enough to hand the Hoop Hogs a quick 11-0 advantage.
That pressure never relented in the first half, as the Razorbacks had eight steals and nine forced turnovers at the under-8 mark, and 10 steals and 11 forced turnovers by halftime.
“That first five or six minutes of the game we were a deer in headlights,” Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker, a former Razorback, said postgame. “We were terrified for no reason. We turned the ball over. Now, they got 19 turnovers. We turned the ball over 19 times and they got 28 points off of that. I told my team before the game, ‘We cannot have a lot of turnovers. If you do, this team is really good in the open court. You put them in half court you’re going to have a chance to get in the game.’”
Leading the way for most hands in the cookie jar was forward Adou Thiero (six steals), though five Razorbacks recorded at least one steal and four Hogs totaled 2+ steals.
“The biggest plays were effort plays,” Calipari said of Thiero. “Those were the biggest plays he made. He had six steals — all effort steals. Just he out-worked the other guy to get the ball.”
As a result of the defensive ferocity, Arkansas pushed the pace in transition to the tune of 22 fastbreak points, 28 points off turnovers and five slams through both halves.
“From watching all the film of all the games they’ve played, I knew this was going to be an off-the-dribble game,” Walker said. “And when they shoot the ball well they can become dangerous. But they really an off-the-dribble team and a transition team right now. I’m sure Cal is still trying to figure things out. This is early in the season, just like I’m trying to figure things out with my basketball team. He’s got some key guys hurt.”
One can’t mention Arkansas’ up-and-down court explosion without further crediting Thiero, who racked up a team-high 23 points, a team-high eight rebounds, two blocks and pulled off an immaculate left-handed windmill transition dunk.
“There was a will to win,” Calipari said. “I don’t care who it’s against. When a game gets like that, that stuff was on us, and Adou making that play on the offensive rebound, again, he’s standing out how he’s playing. He’s getting it done.”
Up next, Arkansas will close its home-stand with a matchup against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday. That game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. CT and will stream on SEC Network+.
Arkansas
Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas basketball will welcome one of the best players in program history back to Bud Walton Arena tonight.
The No. 24 Razorbacks (3-1) will host Little Rock (3-2) Friday. The Trojans are coached by Darrell Walker, who was a consensus All-American for the Razorbacks in 1983 and is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor.
The Hogs are in the midst of a four-game homestand and are coming off a 91-72 victory over Pacific Monday. They’ve been stingy through the early portion of the season and rank 10th in the nation in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric.
This will be just the second meeting between the two Natural State programs. Arkansas won 93-78 in 2021, and the Trojans are coming off a road victory over Tulsa in their most recent contest.
Below are live score updates, highlights and other notes from Arkansas basketball’s fifth game of the season.
Arkansas basketball vs. Little Rock score updates
This section will be updated when the game begins.
What time does Arkansas vs. Little Rock play today?
- Date: Friday, Nov. 22
- Time: 8 p.m. CT
- Location: Fayetteville
What channel is Arkansas vs. Little Rock game on today?
- TV channel: SEC Network
- Streaming: FUBO (Free Trial), ESPN+
Arkansas vs. Little Rock live stream options
Arkansas vs. Little Rock will be broadcast on SEC Network. The matchup can also be streamed with a subscription to FUBO, which has the option for a free trial, and ESPN+, which includes ESPNU and all other ESPN channels.
Arkansas vs. Little Rock prediction
Arkansas 79, Little Rock 63: This game could follow a familiar theme to earlier home games, with a mid-major squad staying close thanks to 3-pointers, but Arkansas’ talent eventually wearing out the opposition. A blowout is more likely if one of Trevon Brazile or Jonas Aidoo returns to the floor for the Hogs.
Arkansas vs. Little Rock betting odds
Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday morning:
- Spread: Arkansas -20.5
- Over/under: 143.5
- Moneyline: Little Rock +1250
Arkansas basketball schedule
Record: 3-1
(Next five games)
- Little Rock, Nov. 22
- Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 25
- Illinois (Kansas City), Nov. 28
- at Miami, Dec. 3
- UTSA, Dec. 7
Little Rock schedule
Record: 3-2
(Next five games)
- at Arkansas, Nov. 22
- at Illinois, Nov. 25
- Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 27
- Central Arkansas, Dec. 4
- Ouachita Baptist University, Dec. 10
Arkansas basketball news
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Second-round playoff games take place across the state Friday, November 22, in the Arkansas high school football postseason.
You can follow all of the AAA playoff football games and get updated scores by tracking the SBLive/SI Arkansas High School Football Scoreboard.
Arkansas (AAA) high school football playoffs: 2024 brackets, Round 2 matchups, game times
High School on SI will have in-game score updates and all of the final scores from every corner of the state. You can also search for full schedules and complete scores from all of your favorite teams.
Here’s your guide to catching all of the Round 2 Arkansas high school football playoff action on Friday night (November 22, 2024).
STATEWIDE ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
CLASS 7A SCORES
CLASS 6A SCORES
CLASS 5A SCORES
CLASS 4A SCORES
CLASS 3A SCORES
CLASS 2A SCORES
CLASS 8 MAN SCORES
2024 ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCHEDULES: FIND YOUR TEAM
Can’t make it to your favorite team’s game but still want to watch them live? You can watch dozens of Arkansas high school football games live on the NFHS Network:
WATCH AAA GAMES LIVE ON NFHS NETWORK
Want to know how your team finished the regular season? Find out where they landed in our final computer rankings:
And don’t forget to visit the brand new Arkansas homepage on High School on SI, powered by SBLive Sports, for all the latest news, highlights, analysis, scores, photos and information on Arkansas high school sports. Follow our live game coverage and read our feature stories, breaking news, the latest recruiting news, rankings and much more.
DOWNLOAD THE SBLIVE APP
To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app:
Download iPhone App | Download Android App
— Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports
Texas AG sues Dallas for decriminalizing marijuana
Retired Utah public employees who volunteer in emergencies may see changes to their pay. Here’s why.
VT wins big in USA Today’s 10 best ski and snowboard awards. Here’s a full list of winners
SMU-Virginia free livestream: How to watch college football game, TV, schedule
Oregon State vs. Washington State channel, time, schedule, live stream to watch Saturday college football game | Sporting News
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Who is Pam Bondi, Trump's new pick for attorney general?
At least 11 killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
Trump announces picks for FDA, CDC; Novartis seeks bolt-on deals, raises guidance; RFK Jr., Elon Musk may find banning ads difficult; and more
From CDC to labor secretary: See Trump's top picks for Cabinet roles
WHO says mpox remains public health emergency of international concern
-
Business1 week ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health1 week agoBird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business6 days agoColumn: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science3 days agoTrump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics5 days agoTrump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
Technology5 days agoInside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle6 days agoSome in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World5 days agoProtesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
