The Arkansas Senate is scheduled to vote Friday on whether to confirm Gov. Sarah Sanders‘ appointment of Christian nationalist Jason Rapert to the Arkansas State Library Board.
The Conway Republican is just one of 93 proposed gubernatorial appointees to various state boards and other bodies, but his is by far the most contentious one.
State Sen. Greg Leding, a Fayetteville Democrat who has said he will vote against Rapert’s confirmation, said in his newsletter that the Senate Committee on Rules, Resolutions, and Memorials would first consider which of the 93 appointments to recommend for confirmation on Friday. Those recommendations will go to the full Senate later that day.
In normal times, Rapert, the founder and president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, would be an unlikely choice. He has indicated he wants to defund at least some libraries and has said Jesus would likely have burned books.
Perhaps Rapert is basing his theological views on the New Testament book of Acts which says in part that Christians at Ephesus burned their books of magic. If so, Rapert might also want to review Matthew 22, where Jesus suggests there should be a distinction between the laws of God and those of humans but that both should be respected. That sounds a bit like separation of church and state.
Even though Rapert favors a complete abortion ban, that pro-life view apparently ends with librarians. He said librarians who let children access books with LGBTQ+ themes would be better off outfitted with millstones around their necks and sunk to the bottom of the Arkansas River.
Further, Rapert also said recently that libraries suing the state to block Act 372 should be docked funding. That’s the new law — on hold by order of a federal court since this summer — that would put librarians in legal jeopardy if minors get their hands on materials deemed obscene or harmful.
The exact times of Friday’s legislative meetings weren’t available as of Monday. But the Senate Committee on Rules, Resolutions, and Memorials will meet 15 minutes after the adjournment of a 9 a.m. meeting of the Legislative Council. The Senate will convene five minutes after the committee adjourns.
State Sen. Bryan King, a Green Forest Republican, also has announced his opposition to Rapert’s appointment. King referred to Rapert’s previous name calling as a reason to vote against Rapert. King said he opposes appointments of people from both extremes of the political spectrum.
Leding urged constituents to contact committee members and their own state senator about any appointments they oppose or support. You can find committee members’ names here. You can find your state senator’s name here.
Rapert’s term on the seven-member board would expire Oct. 18, 2029.
Sanders also appointed Shari Bales of Hot Springs to the library board. Bales’ husband was an organizer of a boat parade supporting then-President Donald Trump in July 2020 at Lake Hamilton. In a social media post at the time, Bales invited Sanders to attend. Bales’ term would expire Oct. 18, 2030.
Among the libraries already hard hit by politically motivated defunding is the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library. It recently announced that 13 employees would lose their jobs two days before Christmas. Library officials also expect they’ll have to close one or more branches. A county library board meeting to address that issue has been postponed until Dec. 18 in Jonesboro.