<p>I take great offense at recent public comments by our Chamber President Steve Clark accusing me of being “missing in action.” I did not attend the House State Agencies meeting this week because I was running a bill in Senate Education and then attending Senate Judiciary, of which I am a member. In other words, I was doing my job as the State Senator for District 7. If it was so important to Mr. Clark that I attend this meeting, then why didn’t he contact me and ask me to attend? He has yet to contact me to discuss ANY issues during this entire legislative session.</p><p>I also take great offense that Mr. Clark has publicly accused me of ignoring my constituents and forgetting the people of Fayetteville. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.</p><p>Mr. Clark’s comments also include numerous distortions. First, I do not have the power “alone” or “singlehandedly” to defeat any piece of legislation, nor do I have the power to “guarantee” anything in the redistricting process. The General Assembly has 135 members, and we all have a vote. Second, Mr. Clark presumes to know the “expressed interests” of my constituents on this issue when, in fact, I have heard from numerous constituents on all sides of this issue. Third, Mr. Clark says I was elected to represent “Northwest Arkansas.” That is false. Mr. Clark knows that I represent the people of District 7.</p><p>I have made my position on redistricting very clear. As the Chair of the Senate State Agencies Committee, it is my duty to give all redistricting proposals a fair hearing, and I will therefore not be taking any position on particular proposals. That may not please everyone, but the redistricting process never does. I will continue to listen to the thoughts of my constituents, and I am confident that whatever the result of the redistricting process, Fayetteville and our region will be just fine.</p><p>Sue</p>