Bud Cummins
Encyclopedia
Harry Earnest "Bud" Cummins III (born August 6, 1959) is a former United States Attorney
of five years in the Eastern District of Arkansas
.
. After graduating from the University of Arkansas
, he eventually moved to Little Rock, Arkansas
, working for a time in various management roles in the construction business. In 1989, Cummins obtained a law degree from the William H. Bowen School of Law, known then as the UALR School of Law. Subsequently, he served as a law clerk for United States Magistrate Judge John F. Forster, Jr., and later was clerk to Chief United States District Judge Stephen M. Reasoner
. After his federal clerkships, he set up a private law practice.
In 1996 he ran as a Republican for Congress, losing roughly 52 percent to 48 percent, to Democrat Vic Snyder
. He later served as Governor Mike Huckabee
's Chief Legal Counsel. In 2001, President George W. Bush
nominated Cummins as the United States Attorney
for the Eastern District of Arkansas, where he served until 2006.
Cummins is currently a Senior Advisor at Circumference Group (www.circumferencegroup.com).
Cummins was informed in June 2006 that his resignation would be desired, and as part of the transition, his replacement, Tim Griffin, worked for Cummins' office as a special assistant United States attorney from September 2006 onward.
Cummins resigned effective December 20, 2006. He has been called "one of the most distinguished lawyers in Arkansas".
Early in the Congressional investigations of the firings, Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty
testified that Cummins was removed for no reason except to install a former aide to Karl Rove
: 37-year-old Timothy Griffin
, a former Republican National Committee
opposition research director.
Cummins, apparently, "was ousted after Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel, intervened on behalf of Griffin."
In fact, White House emails uncovered during investigations showed that Griffin laid the groundwork for the dismissal of Cummins, telling staff members in the White House that Cummins was widely seen by members of the Arkansas bar as "lazy" and "ineffective." Sara Taylor
and Scott Jennings
later testified that they believed Cummins to be a subpar incumbent, based solely on statements made by Griffin.
Cummins told the Senate Judiciary Committee "that Mike Elston, the deputy attorney general's top aide, threatened him with retaliation in a phone call [in February 2007] if he went public." Emails show that Cummins passed on the warning to some of the other Attorneys who were fired.
Reportedly Monica Goodling
, who formerly worked for Tim Griffin at the Republican National Committee
, "took a leading role in making sure that Tim Griffin, a protege of presidential adviser Karl Rove, replaced H.E. "Bud" Cummins as the U.S. attorney in Arkansas. Documents released to Congress include communications between Goodling and Scott Jennings, Rove's deputy."
Cummins answered a House Judiciary Committee interrogatory about the experience:
Governor Matt Blunt
's Administration in regard to allegations that certain individuals that worked for Blunt had violated the law in the awarding of fee offices." On October 4, 2006, Cummins himself announced that the investigation had concluded and that no charges were filed against anyone. "Cummins' statement at the time included a specific reference to Blunt, which he acknowledged was unusual, but was consistent with department policies and justified in light of leaks and erroneous reporting. The statement made clear that 'at no time was Governor Blunt a target, subject, or witness in the investigation, nor was he implicated in any allegation being investigated. Any allegations or inferences to the contrary are uninformed and erroneous.'"
Cummins has stated on more than one occasion that he does not believe the Missouri investigation had anything to do with his dismissal.
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
of five years in the Eastern District of Arkansas
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas is the United States District Court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Arkansas, Chicot, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Conway, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Dehsa, Drew, Faulkner, Fulton, Grant,...
.
Career
Cummins was born in Enid, OklahomaEnid, Oklahoma
Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2010, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a...
. After graduating from the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, he eventually moved to Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, working for a time in various management roles in the construction business. In 1989, Cummins obtained a law degree from the William H. Bowen School of Law, known then as the UALR School of Law. Subsequently, he served as a law clerk for United States Magistrate Judge John F. Forster, Jr., and later was clerk to Chief United States District Judge Stephen M. Reasoner
Stephen M. Reasoner
Stephen M. Reasoner was a United States federal judge.Born in Houston, Texas, Reasoner received a B.A. from the University of Arkansas in 1966 and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1969. He was in the United States Army Reserve from 1969 to 1973...
. After his federal clerkships, he set up a private law practice.
In 1996 he ran as a Republican for Congress, losing roughly 52 percent to 48 percent, to Democrat Vic Snyder
Vic Snyder
Victor F. "Vic" Snyder is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
. He later served as Governor Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
's Chief Legal Counsel. In 2001, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nominated Cummins as the United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Eastern District of Arkansas, where he served until 2006.
Cummins is currently a Senior Advisor at Circumference Group (www.circumferencegroup.com).
Controversy over dismissal
Cummins received national attention when he was dismissed by US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez despite having received positive job reviews.Cummins was informed in June 2006 that his resignation would be desired, and as part of the transition, his replacement, Tim Griffin, worked for Cummins' office as a special assistant United States attorney from September 2006 onward.
Cummins resigned effective December 20, 2006. He has been called "one of the most distinguished lawyers in Arkansas".
Early in the Congressional investigations of the firings, Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty
Paul McNulty
Paul J. McNulty is the former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, having previously served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. He held the position until July 26, 2007....
testified that Cummins was removed for no reason except to install a former aide to Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
: 37-year-old Timothy Griffin
Timothy Griffin
John Timothy Griffin is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He was a United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas from December 2006 to June 2007, appointed by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.-Early life and education:Griffin was born in...
, a former Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
opposition research director.
Cummins, apparently, "was ousted after Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel, intervened on behalf of Griffin."
In fact, White House emails uncovered during investigations showed that Griffin laid the groundwork for the dismissal of Cummins, telling staff members in the White House that Cummins was widely seen by members of the Arkansas bar as "lazy" and "ineffective." Sara Taylor
Sara Taylor
Sara Marie Taylor is a public relations consultant who was the Director of the White House Office of Political Affairs and Deputy Assistant to President George W. Bush from February 2005 to May 30, 2007. A Republican campaign strategist, field operator, pollster, she was one of George W. Bush's...
and Scott Jennings
J. Scott Jennings
Jeffery Scott Jennings , a United States political appointee in the administration of George W. Bush. The president appointed Jennings to the position of Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs on October 17, 2005...
later testified that they believed Cummins to be a subpar incumbent, based solely on statements made by Griffin.
Cummins told the Senate Judiciary Committee "that Mike Elston, the deputy attorney general's top aide, threatened him with retaliation in a phone call [in February 2007] if he went public." Emails show that Cummins passed on the warning to some of the other Attorneys who were fired.
Reportedly Monica Goodling
Monica Goodling
Monica Marie Goodling is a former United States government lawyer and political appointee in the George W. Bush administration who became known in 2007 in the midst of a political controversy surrounding the firings of several United States Attorneys...
, who formerly worked for Tim Griffin at the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
, "took a leading role in making sure that Tim Griffin, a protege of presidential adviser Karl Rove, replaced H.E. "Bud" Cummins as the U.S. attorney in Arkansas. Documents released to Congress include communications between Goodling and Scott Jennings, Rove's deputy."
Cummins answered a House Judiciary Committee interrogatory about the experience:
Investigations
Cummins had been investigating MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Governor Matt Blunt
Matt Blunt
Matthew Roy Blunt served as the 54th Governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. Before his election as governor, Blunt served ten years in the United States Navy, was elected to serve in the Missouri General Assembly in 1998 and as Missouri's Secretary of State in 2000.A Republican, Blunt was elected...
's Administration in regard to allegations that certain individuals that worked for Blunt had violated the law in the awarding of fee offices." On October 4, 2006, Cummins himself announced that the investigation had concluded and that no charges were filed against anyone. "Cummins' statement at the time included a specific reference to Blunt, which he acknowledged was unusual, but was consistent with department policies and justified in light of leaks and erroneous reporting. The statement made clear that 'at no time was Governor Blunt a target, subject, or witness in the investigation, nor was he implicated in any allegation being investigated. Any allegations or inferences to the contrary are uninformed and erroneous.'"
Cummins has stated on more than one occasion that he does not believe the Missouri investigation had anything to do with his dismissal.