(Memphis) Arkansas Green Party Candidate Fred Smith is breathing a sigh of relief after a late ruling from a Circuit Court Judge in Little Rock on Election Day.
Smith was elected last year to serve the 50th District in Arkansas but resigned days later to face charges of theft dealing with a non-profit he runs called ‘Saved Our Kids’.
“I resigned because I wanted to go fix the matter which was a simple matter. A school had overpaid the Save Our Kids company and I thought it should have been a civil matter,” said Smith.
After a special election, Hudson Hallum replaced Smith, representing the district in the House.
Hallum later pleaded guilty to a federal election fraud charge and resigned from the post.
However, Hallum was on the ballot for this November’s election to be Smith’s permanent replacement.
Smith decided to run again after the charges against him were dropped.
It wasn’t until election day a Little Rock Circuit Court Judge ruled that Hallum was “ineligible” and that “any votes for Hudson Hallum not be counted or certified.”
That meant Smith, a Green Party candidate was the winner.
“That ruling against representative Hallum. That wasn’t personal. That was just a business deal. I had to because of me coming back this far. I didn’t want to just give up. It’s just time for a turnaround for district 50,” said Smith.
Hallum did not return calls News Channel 3 made to him Wednesday morning.
Smith is a former Harlem Globetrotter.
He said while serving District 50 he will continue to run his organization ‘Save Our Kids’.
“I was one of those kids that came through and as a basketball star I didn’t have anyone to work with me through reading math. So I said I was going to combine basketball and tutoring in the afternoon. That’s where I got Save Our Kids in academics through sports,” added Smith.
