In my last column, I wrote about the revolving door of legislators and governor’s staff leaving state government only to personally profit by going to work directly for mega companies that they gave contracts to while in office.
Mega consulting companies like Deloitte and McKinsey have pocketed hundreds of millions of Arkansans’ hard earned tax dollars and hired former high-level staff members such as Jamie Barker and legislators like Grant Hodges. They have also hired former governors’ staff like Jon Gilmore to lobby for them. Deloitte has pocketed over half a billion dollars alone.
Now Governor Sanders wants to appoint Jamie Barker, her former deputy chief of staff, to the Board of Corrections. Apparently, having real world experience like working in construction or banking or having any law enforcement or prison related experience is not a requirement.
To my knowledge, Jamie Barker’s only experience is being a Politico. A Politico is one who jumps from politics, lobbying, and government jobs. This 29-year-old Politico is now set to be a member of a high-level, governing body that provides oversight and policy direction for the state’s Department of Corrections and related divisions.
Despite all the gross incompetence in choosing a site with no water infrastructure and the appropriation bill being historically defeated five times for long term funding, the Governor continues to push for this mega prison catastrophe. If Jamie Barker is appointed to this board, Arkansas will be driven more quickly to financial bankruptcy with this incomprehensible site location.
After last month’s legislative council meeting, Deloitte was awarded another multi-million-dollar contract. The same afternoon Jamie Barker left his job at the governor’s office; he joined Jon Gilmore’s lobbying firm as a “partner” not a lobbyist. Arkansas has a law banning state legislators and high-level appointees from becoming lobbyists within a certain period of time after leaving a government position, generally 1-2 years. So, instead of being a registered lobbyist they use the title of consultant, account manager, or partner to get around the ban.
If this appointment goes through this will be a disaster for this state. Personal profiteers are already bleeding us dry. This will damage not only the correction system, but our budget in the years to come. It’s time to step up and demand qualified people who put the best interests of Arkansans and not profiteers like Jamie Barker and Grant Hodges.
