Responsible Growth reports contributions of $605,000, Cameron donates to second group

September 16, 2022 By Griffin Coop

The industry-backed group working to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas received $605,000 in donations last month and has about half a million dollars on hand, according to financial documents filed with the state Ethics Commission.

The largest donation to Responsible Growth Arkansas, the group sponsoring the Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment, was $150,000 from Ozark REA LLC.

Osage Creek Cultivation LLC, one of the state’s first five cultivators, donated $100,000 to the legalization effort, bringing its total contributions to $800,000.

The group received 12 donations, all over $25,000.

The other largest donations were $75,000 from M.D. Medicinals LLC of North Little Rock, $50,000 from Acanza Health Group LLC of Jonesboro and $50,000 from The Source Cannabis of Little Rock.

The group made $187,225 in expenditures last month, including $65,000 to Clarity Campaign Labs LLC of Washington, D.C. for consulting. The organization’s website says the company has worked on the campaign of President Joe Biden and has worked for organizations including the Democratic Governors Association.

The company website says it does predictive modeling, polling and data-driven strategy.

Responsible Growth also paid $65,421 to Wright Lindsey Jennings, the law firm that represents the organization and argued the group’s case before the Supreme Court.

The group also paid $24,880 to Six Bridges Media LLC of Little Rock for advertising and $15,000 each to McLarty Consulting and Maple and Orange for management consulting. McLarty Consulting is owned by Robert McLarty, who is an owner of Good Day Farm Arkansas and The Source dispensary in Rogers. Maple and Orange is owned by Responsible Growth chair Eddie Armstrong.

Responsible Growth’s filing follows yesterday’s financial report from opposition group Safe and Secure Communities, which reported receiving $1 million from Little Rock chicken magnate Ron Cameron and $750,000 from Illinois Republican benefactor Richard Uihlein. Cameron donated another $250,000 when the organization was founded last month.

The group, which intervened in the Supreme Court case that will decide whether votes should be counted on the measure in November, reported a balance of more than $1.9 million.

Cameron donated another $78,600 to another opposition group, Family Council Action Committee, according to the financial report it filed on Friday. Cameron’s donation was the only contribution to the group, which reported expenditures of $13,191 and a balance of $65,408.

Family Council Action Committee was formed last month by Tom Lundstrum of Elm Springs, Jerry Cox of Little Rock, Reg Hamman of North Little Rock and Ruth Carney of Hot Springs.

A third opposition group, Save Arkansas from Epidemic, reported no activity in August. The group, which also intervened in the Supreme Court case, reported it did not receive any contributions and did not make any expenditures.