Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued a statement regarding the Arkansas Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision in Cowles v. Thurston, confirming that the Arkansas Secretary of State properly rejected the paid canvasser signature submissions supporting the Arkansas Abortion Amendment.
Griffin stated, "The people rule in Arkansas, through the law. Changing the Arkansas Constitution involves a rigorous process requiring strict adherence to the law. The Arkansas Supreme Court confirmed today that the abortion advocates failed to follow the law that other ballot committees had successfully followed for over a decade since Governor Mike Beebe signed the law governing paid canvassers in 2013. This is a win for the rule of law in Arkansas and for those who have followed the rules for years to participate in the state’s ballot initiative process."
He further expressed gratitude towards Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni, Deputy Solicitor General Dylan Jacobs, and Senior Assistant Solicitor General Asher Steinberg for their work and diligence in defending state law.
Tim Griffin was sworn in as Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023. His prior roles include serving as Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023 and representing Arkansas’s Second Congressional District from 2011-2015. He has also served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps for more than 27 years and holds the rank of colonel.
In addition to his military service, Griffin has held various legal positions including U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas and Special Assistant to President George W. Bush.
Griffin's educational background includes degrees from Magnolia High School, Hendrix College, Tulane Law School, and graduate studies at Oxford University.
He resides in Little Rock with his wife Elizabeth and their three children.
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