Bud Cummins

Career

Cummins was born in Enid, Oklahoma. 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, he obtained a law degree from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 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, U.S. President George W. Bush nominated Cummins as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, a position that he held until 2006.

Controversy over dismissal

Cummins received national attention when he was dismissed by US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales 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, had worked for Cummins' office as a special assistant United States attorney since September 2006 onward. Cummins resigned effective December 20, 2006. He was 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 Tim Griffin, a former opposition research director for the Republican National Committee. 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 sub-par attorney based solely on statements made by his intra-party rival, Tim 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 Griffin replaced Cummins. 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 Missouri Governor Matt Blunt's administration regarding 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.

Meanwhile, Cummins' replacement as U.S. attorney, Tim Griffin, is the current Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas.