Friday, June 2, 2017

SOURCE REPORTS ABC ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR BUD ROBERTS WAS FIRED - ARKANSAS STATE POLICE INVESTIGATING ALLEGED KICK-BACK SCHEME INVOLVING MEDICAL MARIJUANA PERMITS

IS BUD ROBERTS THE SUBJECT OF A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION?

We broke the story of the triple resignation bombshell at the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control agency last week and the naming of one of the staff attorneys that resigned as Interim Director of ABC Administration.

http://badaralcoholcontol.blogspot.com/2017/05/breaking-news-resignations-at-abc.html

http://badaralcoholcontol.blogspot.com/2017/05/abc-attorney-says-abc-administration.html

http://badaralcoholcontol.blogspot.com/2017/05/abc-attorney-who-resigned-named-as.html

Yesterday afternoon, we learned from a highly credible source that the Arkansas State Police is conducting a criminal investigation into allegations that Roberts was involved in a kick-back scheme with applicants for Medical Marijuana permits and that the probe also involves the Roberts Law Firm, headed by Bud's brother Mike Roberts.
 


Mike Roberts was appointed by Governor Hutchinson in 2015 to a third term as a commissioner on the Economic Development Commission.  Mike Roberts currently serves as Vice Charmian.

The Roberts Law Firm at one time employed the Governor's son, Asa III, but he quickly left the firm after his third DWI arrest and a drug arrest at an Alabama music festival.

We sought comments from the Department of Finance and Administration (parent agency for the ABC), the Arkansas State Police, the Governor's Office and Mike Roberts.  No responses have been received.

Bud Roberts has been unavailable since his termination/resignation last week.

Stay tuned for updates.


*** UPDATE - 6/2/17 9:22 AM ***
We were able to reach Jake Bleed, DFA Director of Communications by telephone and asked him for comments concerning the report of the State Police Investigation of Roberts.  

Bleed's response was "we do not have a comment, ahhh, ehhh, ...I just don't have anything we can add on that".

JAKE BLEED - DFA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION
 



The lack of a denial of the report is telling.