Gary Stubblefield
Gary Stubblefield | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Arkansas Senate from the 26th district (Previously 3rd district) | |
| Assumed office January 14, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | redistricted |
| Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 67th district | |
| In office 2011 – January 14, 2013 | |
| Succeeded by | redistricted |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
Gary Stubblefield is an American politician. A Republican, he has been a member of the Arkansas Senate, elected from District 6, since 2013. He was previously a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, a quorum court, and a school board.[1]
Early life and business career
[edit]Stubblefield graduated from County Line High School in 1969.[2] He is a cattle farmer.[2]
Political career
[edit]Stubblefield was a member of the Franklin County quorum court from 1976 to 1977 and spent six years on the County Line School District board in the 1980s.[2] He spent one term in the Arkansas House of Representatives from House District 67 before running for state Senate in 2012.[2]
An opponent of Medicaid expansion,[2] Stubblefield voted against a 2019 bill to accept Medicaid expansion in Arkansas; which passed the Senate on a 27–4 vote.[3]
In 2017, Stubblefield introduced legislation to weaken the state's freedom of information (FOI) act by precluding the public release of information about K-12 schools, colleges and university campus police departments, and the Arkansas State Capitol police force. Stubblefield's bill would have blocked the release of information about the number of police officers or security officers, statistics on the racial and gender makeup of police forces, and possibly even security-video footage.[4] Critics such as the Arkansas Press Association decried Stubblefield's proposal for its potential to enable secret police.[4][5] Public records advocates said that the restrictions were the most significant restriction on access to Arkansas public records since adoption of the state's FOI law in 1967.[5]
Stubblefield described the 1619 Project and "critical race theory" as divisive[6] and co-sponsored a bill to ban teaching the 1619 Project in Arkansas public schools.[7] He sponsored a resolution on African American history that downplayed the role of slavery in the American history and criticized Democrats; it was defeated 22–4.[8]
In 2020, Stubblefield clashed with Governor Asa Hutchinson, a fellow Republican, over refugee resettlement in Arkansas, which Stubblefield opposes and Hutchinson supports. At a Senate committee hearing, Stubblefield said that "Every morning when I wake up and turn on the national news, sometimes I ask myself a question: 'Am I still in the United States of America?'"[9][10] David Ramsey of the Arkansas Times criticized Stubblefield for his statements, calling it "rank demagoguery."[11][12]
In 2021, Stubblefield sponsored nullification legislation that would have banned Arkansas state and local police from enforcing federal gun laws, and threatened to impose criminal liability on state and local officers for assisting in enforcing federal gun laws. Similar "nullification" laws have been held by the courts to be unconstitutional, and opponents charged that the passage of the bill would break down federal-state cooperation and endanger public safety. The bill passed the Senate on a 21–12 vote, but was vetoed by Governor Hutchinson, who previously vetoed several other "culture war" bills passed by fellow Republicans in the state legislature.[13][14] However, the Senate voted (by a simple majority) to override the veto, with Republicans in the chamber split on the override.[14]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Arkansas, Stubblefield staunchly opposed the appointment of Dr. José Romero to head the Arkansas Department of Health due to Romero's discouragement of the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19; there is no evidence to indicate that hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial, is an effective COVID-19 treatment.[15] Romero was ultimately confirmed on a 25–8 vote.[16] During the pandemic, Stubblefield also touted ivermectin, a cattle dewormer, as treatment against COVID-19; the FDA does not recommend Ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19.[15][17]
Personal life
[edit]Stubblefield is a Baptist.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Senator Gary Stubblefield (R) – Arkansas State Legislature". www.arkleg.state.ar.us.
- ^ a b c d e Bill Bowden, In District 6 race, 2 boast experience: Hopefuls vie for Senate seat, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (October 22, 2012).
- ^ Michael R. Wickline, Senate approves health-funds measure, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (March 28, 2019).
- ^ a b Kelly P. Kissel, Arkansas legislators weighing reduced access to police info, Associated Press (February 10, 2017).
- ^ a b Kelly P. Kissel, Secret police possible at Arkansas Capitol, perhaps colleges, Associated Press (March 14, 2017).
- ^ Patel, Ronak. "Senator Gary Stubblefield directs ADHE to request curriculums from universities". The Echo.
- ^ "Arkansas bill to ban teaching of 1619 Project fails in House committee". katv.com.
- ^ "Senators' resolution on Black history raises ruckus". Arkansas Online. February 10, 2021.
- ^ Trump Threw Weighty Refugee Decisions to Local Government, With Painful Results, New York Times (February 1, 2020).
- ^ Rolly Hoyt, Gov. Hutchinson takes heat for allowing refugee resettlement in Arkansas, KTHV (January 13, 2021).
- ^ David Ramsey, Demagogue of the day: Gary Stubblefield, Arkansas Times (January 13, 2020).
- ^ David Ramsey, Hutchinson defends resettlement program; right-wing demagogues grouse, Arkansas Times (January 13, 2020).
- ^ Andrew DeMillo, Arkansas governor vetoes bill nullifying gun restrictions, Associated Press (April 23, 2021).
- ^ a b Andrew DeMillo, Override of Arkansas gun measure clears first vote in Senate, Associated Press (April 26, 2021).
- ^ a b Bailey, Austin (April 8, 2021). "Romero gets plenty of criticism but also an up vote from Senate rules committee". Arkansas Times. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
- ^ Michael R. Wickline, Senate confirms Romero 25-8: Doctor held health agency reins for much of pandemic, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (April 9, 2021).
- ^ Brantley, Max (July 31, 2021). "Holy cow! A tale of herd immunity and COVID-19". Arkansas Times. Retrieved August 1, 2021.