UPDATE: 10/31, 11:42 a.m. The lack of publicly expressed interest in the Mueller indictments from Arkansas's Congressional delegation is drawing condemnation from the chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas.
Chair Michael John Gray told KUAR he hopes for more communication between the state's elected officials and Arkansans.
"The radio silence of our delegation lately is frustrating. Congressman Womack did come out and praise the character of Mr. Mueller," acknowledged Gray. "But the silence from the rest of our Congressional delegation, the leaders in Arkansas that are a member of the President's Party...obviously they don't have all the answers, obviously there's more information to come, but I think our job as elected officials is to let our constituents know what is going on and to assure them we are operating above board."
Gray continued, "So, not addressing this and not at least saying they're deeply concerned and look forward to learning more, acting like it's not going on, you've got to wonder if they're really doing their jobs."
Gray said the indictments - and the guilty plea from George Papadopolous - are evidence of Russian interference in the election, as articulated previously by numerous intelligence agencies. He said it can't just be dismissed as fake news.
"What this does say is their is evidence. What we've been hearing out of Washington is that it's the media creating links and there's no evidence that ties from the President and his campaign to Russia and to some less than honest dealings," said Gray. "The big learn out of this is that there is evidence of this. How that compounds and who else involved is yet to be determined."
Posted 10/31, 6:50 a.m.
The former campaign manager to Donald Trump is charged with conspiracy against the United States – and so far Arkansas backers of the President are staying out of it.
What do Arkansas’s elected officials think of a list of indictments against Paul Manafort, or George Papadopolous pleading guilty to lying to the FBI related to dealings with Russia? At at this point there’s near total silence from Arkansas’s all-Republican Congressional delegation, all of whom back President Trump.
Their Twitter feeds on Monday didn't touch on what is the biggest news in America right now. Only U.S. Representative Steve Womack’s office has so far given comment to KUAR. His office pointed to a May 17th press release. It was issued when Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel.
At that time, as is the case now, Womack said, “Given the number and severity of the claims that have arisen – and the fact that these claims are coming from anonymous sources and the media, it’s important the American people now get the facts from an independent investigation. They deserve the truth. I have the utmost confidence in former director Mueller’s ability to lead an independent investigation and give the people what they deserve – the truth.”
As for assessing the indictments? Arkansas Trump supporters in office are so far staying out of it. U. S. Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman have not issued a comment. U.S. Representatives Rick Crawford (1st District), French Hill (2nd district), and Bruce Westerman (4th District) have not commented.
