CONWAY, AR — State police are being asked to investigate an elected official in central Arkansas over records that appear to be falsified.
In question are documents turned into Faulkner County Clerk Margaret Darter.
A statement of financial interest from Justice of the Peace Stephen Goode was due January 31st. It’s stamped as being filed on that day. But the document appears to have been notarized by Goode February 2nd.
“That’s the problem,” said Faulkner County attorney David Hogue. “It looks like it may have been signed and turned in after the deadline but file marked before the deadline.”
We found several other disclosure forms also stamped January 31st , a Saturday when the clerk’s office is closed.
Hogue says the motivation for falsifying the dates may have been to “help [office holders] meet a deadline.”
Under state law, forging a public record is a Class C Felony, and county prosecutor Cody Hiland says he’s asked state police to investigate.
Darter wasn’t at her office Monday and didn’t return calls requesting comment.
Over the phone, Goode admitted turning the forms in late, saying he didn’t hand them over to the clerk until the end of February.
When he saw the document was stamped January 31st, Goode says he brought it to the clerk’s attention.
“I assumed on mine that there was an error that was made,” he said. “I wanted the error correct to show when mine was turned in.”
But Goode says the clerk told him she personally had changed the dates.
“There’s a lot of people that will say this is a transparency issue,” Hogue said. “What’s the point of opening up all the public records and documents for people to see if they’re not accurate.”
If the clerk were to be convicted of felony forgery, Hogue says she would be removed from office.
In question are documents turned into Faulkner County Clerk Margaret Darter.
A statement of financial interest from Justice of the Peace Stephen Goode was due January 31st. It’s stamped as being filed on that day. But the document appears to have been notarized by Goode February 2nd.
“That’s the problem,” said Faulkner County attorney David Hogue. “It looks like it may have been signed and turned in after the deadline but file marked before the deadline.”
We found several other disclosure forms also stamped January 31st , a Saturday when the clerk’s office is closed.
Hogue says the motivation for falsifying the dates may have been to “help [office holders] meet a deadline.”
Under state law, forging a public record is a Class C Felony, and county prosecutor Cody Hiland says he’s asked state police to investigate.
Darter wasn’t at her office Monday and didn’t return calls requesting comment.
Over the phone, Goode admitted turning the forms in late, saying he didn’t hand them over to the clerk until the end of February.
When he saw the document was stamped January 31st, Goode says he brought it to the clerk’s attention.
“I assumed on mine that there was an error that was made,” he said. “I wanted the error correct to show when mine was turned in.”
But Goode says the clerk told him she personally had changed the dates.
“There’s a lot of people that will say this is a transparency issue,” Hogue said. “What’s the point of opening up all the public records and documents for people to see if they’re not accurate.”
If the clerk were to be convicted of felony forgery, Hogue says she would be removed from office.
