|
|
| |
| Mon, Oct. 13, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
Democratic chief wants tainted ex-lawmaker to abort return to House Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The chairman of the state Democratic Party said Tuesday he would try to talk former North Little Rock legislator Dwayne Dobbins out of running for the House seat Dobbins vacated in 2005 as part of a plea agreement on a harassment charge involving a teenage girl. Dobbins said he was not aware Democratic chairman Bill Gwatney wanted to meet with him but that he had no plans to withdraw his candidacy. "If we are to show compassion in things and people, those out there that say they love one another ... this is an opportunity to show it," Dobbins said. "We've got to move on, and that's something that is very important. "It's just a blessing to get back out there and serve the public." Dobbins was in his second term in the state House in 2005 when he was charged with felony sexual assault after a woman reported that he improperly touched her at her home in September 2004, when she was 17. Dobbins later pleaded guilty in Pulaski County Circuit Court to misdemeanor harassment and resigned from the Legislature as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was sentenced to a year's probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to undergo counseling. In late 2005, Dobbins' wife, Sharon, ran for his vacant seat and was elected to the House in a special election. Monday, the last day of the state's weeklong political filing period, Dwayne Dobbins filed to run for the House seat. No one else filed to run for the seat. Gwatney originally said he hoped to recruit an independent candidate to run against Dobbins, but he later learned that the deadline to file as an independent was noon Monday as well. Gwatney said Tuesday that Dwayne Dobbins should withdraw his candidacy "in the best interest of the citizens of Arkansas and North Little Rock. "I believe he has broken faith with the judicial system, the prosecutor and the public," Gwatney said. "I'm not going to stand for this type of behavior." If Dobbins rejects his request to withdraw, Gwatney said he would try to recruit a write-in candidate to run against him in the November general election. Prosecutor Larry Jegley said Monday that Dwayne Dobbins' resignation was part of the plea agreement, but forbidding him from running later for the office was not and could not be because he pleaded guilt to a misdemeanor. Gwatney said Tuesday if Dwayne Dobbins were elected to the House, his relationship with the state Democratic Party and its chairman would be "frosty." Gwatney said he would return the $3,000 Democratic Party filing fee Dobbins paid if he withdrew. In the 2005 special election to replace Dobbins in the House, Sharon Dobbins defeated Democrat Teresa Burl in a special primary runoff by 99 votes. She then defeated Republican Charles Barnes, an Assembly of God preacher, by 762 votes to win the seat. Burl and Barnes said Tuesday they had no plans to run against Dwayne Dobbins as a write-in candidate. Barnes said he was disappointed that Dwayne Dobbins filed, rather than Sharon Dobbins, but not surprised. Even during the 2005 special session, there was talk that "she was going to hold the seat until things settled down and he could run again," Barnes said. Dwayne Dobbins denied making any such arrangement with his wife. Natasha Naragon, spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, said a Green Party candidate could still run for the seat. If Dobbins does withdraw, leaving no candidates in the race, election statutes are unclear about to resolve the situation. Sharon Dobbins did not return a telephone call seeking comment Tuesday. |
