Kudos to John Moritz of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for finding something that had eluded me for two weeks — the public records substantiating my story Tuesday that Republican Senate candidate Charles “Bubba” Beckham III of McNeil was tossed out of high school his senior year in Mississippi after wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit on Halloween and terrorizing black students in the process.

Correction: I identified the wrong reporter as author of this piece originally.

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I’d been told there was a public proceeding at which Beckham’s parents appealed his dismissal for disciplinary violations related to his night in the Klan outfit. The Democrat-Gazette located a record of the appeal to the Mississippi Board of Education, which upheld the finding that he should be dismissed from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus for disciplinary violations . Wickline also found the family had filed an appeal of the state Board’s finding in circuit court in Jackson, but it was dismissed.

UPDATE: For the record, the Hinds County circuit clerk supplied me with his full record on the case (there are a few extraneous pages) including the state board action.

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Here’s the full file.

The finding by the state board follows closely events related to me by five students who witnessed the episode. One possible correction: Students recalled that the Klan outfits seemed official quality. The Mississippi Board of Education report says they were made of bedsheets and pillowcases.

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Beckham and two other students who also wore Klan garb were suspended initially. But further investigation led to a finding that Beckham had taken improper action that caused “physical or emotional harm” to another person and his dismissal was recommended. The other two returned to school. Several students said they were scared or intimidated by Beckham and some cried.

Beckham said he simply wore a costume and, though it might have been bad judgment, it didn’t amount to misconduct. He said there was no specific rule that prohibited wearing of Klan regalia.

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The five students I interviewed, plus others who subsequently sent me messages, were credible. I wasn’t concerned they hadn’t been telling the truth. Beckham’s refusal to talk with me and his removal of comments from former fellow students from his Facebook page, without comment, didn’t contribute to his defense.

This is the best/worst part of Moritz’s account:

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When asked about the Arkansas Times report on Tuesday, Beckham not only denied the allegations but assailed the people making them.

“First of all, I unequivocally denounce the KKK and any like minded hate group,” Beckham said in an email to a Democrat-Gazette reporter. “It is sad that the Democrats will do anything and say anything to try to win. The accusations that have been made about me are not only baseless and false, but disgusting.”

I spoke with no “Democrats.” Political affiliation never came up.

Then the D-G found the record Wednesday. It also talked to classmates. Said Beckham when confronted with these uncomfortable facts:

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“I do sincerely apologize for any angst or grievances that I have caused anyone as a minor, as that is not the man that I am today” Beckham said.

 

“I continue to unequivocally denounce the KKK and any like minded hate groups and the rumors that I am or have ever been part of the KKK are absolutely ridiculous. I am a Christian, a husband to my loving wife of 8 years as well as a father of two and am proud of the life that we have built in McNeil, Arkansas.”

Whatever kind of man he is today, he doesn’t appear to be honest. And is he a changed man? You decide after checking the racial dog whistles (air raid siren) in his recent mailer.

Beckham is running against incumbent Democratic Sen. Bruce Maloch of Magnolia, who declined comment to me earlier this week. The Arkansas Republican Party has paid for mailers attacking Maloch, particularly on abortion, despite Maloch’s mostly solid record on supporting anti-abortion legislation.

Republican Party Chair Doyle Webb has refused to answer questions about Beckham.

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Pertinent political point: The Mississippi students who sought exposure of Beckham said they had discussed the possibility that news about Beckham — also described as a believer in “Rebel pride” who displayed a Confederate battle flag on his pickup — might HELP him in Arkansas.

UPDATE: The Arkansas Democratic Party weighed in:

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Congressman Bruce Westerman, and RPA Chair Doyle Webb must immediately condemn the outright racist behavior of their state Senate candidate Charles Beckham, and immediately call for him to drop out of the race. Supporting a candidate who refuses to accept responsibility for his racist actions is beneath the leadership of the Governor, Rep. Westerman, and the Republican Party of Arkansas. In the past Governor Hutchinson and Chair Webb have said that this type of behavior is a local issue. It’s past time to stop hiding behind that excuse and to show some leadership. Instead of being accountable, Beckham tried to deny his racist choice to wear Klan robes to a school by calling the reports “baseless,” “false,” and “disgusting.” When caught by the Democrat-Gazette, Beckham dismissed his actions as unimportant.

Keep dreaming. Republicans are counting on racism winning this race, just as they used  Obama photographs in their march to political control in Arkansas.

UPDATE II: The Republican chair never responded to my request for comment, but it issued this statement to the D-G:

“20 years ago, while as a student in high school, Charles Beckham did something reprehensible and outright stupid. When inquiring about this matter Charles at first denied the allegations but has since admitted to the mistakes of his youth surrounding a Halloween party in 2000. Let me be clear, the Party of Lincoln & Rockefeller has no place for bigotry, intended as a joke or otherwise.”

 

 

 

 

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