Pot calls kettle black
A not very convincing attack
Pat O'Brien is looking even better as a candidate for secretary of state, and he went into the general election looking pretty good to begin with, After all, he was the man who cleaned up that mare's nest he inherited in the Pulaski County clerk's office. (And they said it couldn't be done, at least not as promptly and completely as Mr. O'Brien did it.)
What made him look good last week was a fizzle of an attack by his Republican opponent, Mark Martin from Prairie Grove. It came after Mr. O'Brien had released his seven-point plan to govern the use of state cars assigned to the secretary of state's office. The plan certainly sounds like a step up-a big, clean step up-after the rash of reports about the use and abuse of taxpayer-supplied cars in state government. Those reports included the news that the current occupant of the secretary of state's office, Charlie Daniels, is finally getting around to paying taxes he's piled up. It's about time.
Pat O'Brien says he's going to do things differently. And better. "I will pay for my own car out of my own salary," he explains. Under his plan, he won't have a state vehicle, and won't get reimbursed for using his personal car. All the state cars used by the secretary of state's office will be clearly marked "for official business only." There would be only a small amount of commuting to and from work allowed in those cars. Indeed, the whole pack of them assigned to the secretary of state's office would be reduced (up to 30 percent), and any employees who misuse them would be punished-and a way provided for people to report any misuse they spot.
Mr. O'Brien's opponent in the general election, Mark Martin, says it sounds like a good plan-he hasn't bothered to produce one of his own as complete-but that Mr. O'Brien is being hypocritical. Because he gets reimbursed for using his own car as a county clerk. It seems Pat O'Brien draws $650 a month for using his own vehicle as county clerk. But he points out that the $650 is part of his salary and is duly taxed as such. Sounds above-board to us, and probably would to any fair-minded voter. Which is another reason Pat O'Brien is looking better than ever.
As for Mark Martin, he's been impressive in his own way as a state legislator. He ranked No.4 among state lawmakers last year when it came to collecting per diem, mileage and expense reimbursements. All in all, he collected a grand total of $56,290 in addition to his legislative salary of $15,625. It's the kind of record to keep in mind when he dares criticize Pat O'Brien.
