Wal-Mart and Welfare
Today ARKANSASFREEDOM.COM FOIed theArk. Dept. of Human Services and the Dept. of Health for detailed information regarding numbers and kinds of welfare dispensed to Wal-Mart employees.
As I recall, former Rep. Dustin McDaniel, now Attorney General and co-chair for Hillary Rodham Clinton, authored and passed a Bill blocking the information that we are now FOI-ing.
The two state agencies have 3 working days to respond. The results, if any, should prove interesting. It is now becoming crystal clear that Politicians and bureaucrats have insulated themselves from the prying eyes of the citizens who are paying the tariff.
We will post the results as soon as they become available. The body of the FOI is on ARKANSASFREEDOM.COM.
Joe
Correction: It was not Dustin McDaniel who helped block information as to the numbers of Wal-Mart employees on welfare, but Joe Quinn who was Huckabee’s media man and who subsequently went to work for Wal-Mart as their “Health” director…what a coincidence!!
Our apologies to McDaniel.
===========================================================================
Joe McCutchen
August 17, 2007
Dr. Paul K. Halverson, Director
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
Dr. Joe Thompson, Director
Arkansas Department of Human Services
Donaghey Plaza South
Slot S201
P.O. Box 1437
Little Rock, AR 72203-1437
Re: Freedom of Information Act Request
Dear Dr. Halverson and Dr. Thompson:
Pursuant to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101), (Arkansas FOIA) I hereby request copies of the public records identified below. I am requesting any and all documents, which shall be construed to include any written or electronic document, including but not limited to faxes, emails, telexes, telegraphs, statistics, graphs, memoranda, compilations, or other communications or writings of any form falling within the purview of the Arkansas FOIA that discuss or touch upon the following subjects:
(a) All documents showing how many Wal-Mart employees in this state are on any kind of welfare or government payments, such as housing or electric payment support, food stamps, reduced or free lunches, medical care subsidized in whole or in part by Arkansas taxpayers including but not limited to any SCHIPS program, Medicaid or ArKids First, or other free goods or services. Do not include such services as primary and secondary education services available to all residents regardless of income or wealth.
The requested information may be provided to me at the address specified above. I offer to pay the actual cost of reproduction, as defined and allowed by statute, either in advance of copying or pursuant to a statement or invoice from you after copying occurs. However, if it appears that the cost of the copies are expected to exceed $50 please call me at (479) 646-8261. Alternatively, if you are otherwise unable to comply with this request, I request reasonable access to the identified public records and reasonable comforts and facilities for the full exercise of the right to inspect and copy those records.
If these documents are not available in your office but are available elsewhere, please let me know where I can find these documents.
Thanking you for your kind attention to this matter,
Kindest regards,
Joe McCutchen
