Former Arkansas treasurer Martha Shoffner is asking for a separate trial on new charges accusing her of improper spending from her campaign account.
Shoffner is scheduled for trial next month on charges she accepted cash payments from a broker to whom she allegedly steered state investments. But last week, federal prosecutors added 10 new mail-fraud charges against Shoffner, accusing her of misspending $9,800 in campaign money.
In a court filing Monday, Shoffner's attorney, Chuck Banks, argued the mail fraud charges should be tried separately from the original charges. A judge hasn't yet ruled on the request.
Shoffner was originally indicted on charges that she accepted more than $36,000 cash from a bond broker to whom she steered state investments. Shoffner has pleaded not guilty in that case.