BREAKING: Stephen Bright, Candidate for State House District 71, Accused of Abuse, Misconduct, and Failing to Pay Child Support
This is a developing story. On AR Watch will continue to follow and provide updates as needed.
On AR Watch has learned that Stephen Bright, Republican candidate for State House District 71, was accused by his wife, Leah Bright, and ex-wife, Stacy Gaines (formerly Bright), of verbal abuse, sexual misconduct with minor children, and failing to pay court-ordered child support.
Gaines told the Court that “the situation in the marital home has become extremely volatile. Disturbing and violent incidents have occurred — with the two minor children witnessing everything.” Bright changed the locks on the home, removed the children from school and refused to reveal their whereabouts, and threatened to kill Gaines’ mother.
Some of these allegations required the minors’ psychotherapist to make a mandated report to Child Protective Services.
In another filing, despite having a suspended license, Bright drove with minor children in the vehicle.
Other information, available online in Arkansas court records and via the county, paints Bright as frequently unemployed, despite his campaign website describing a long career. This prolonged period of unemployment left at least one child without health insurance – Bright failed to disclose this to Gaines – and at various points in both divorce proceedings failed to pay child support.
Bright’s campaign website says that he’s been a civic leader in Maumelle since the mid-1990s and working in medical sales and hospice administration until returning to state government as both a state representative and employee in the Department of Transformation and Shared Services and the Arkansas State Treasurer. OAW has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to both departments seeking his employment records, but a man behind on child-support payments serving as a Chief of Staff to the state financial apparatus raises some eyebrows: were Treasury staff aware of his history of poor financial management before they hired him, let alone significant and sustained allegations of verbal and physical abuse?
Bright’s website also states that he’s currently married to Leah Bright and has three children only one of which is named on his website. Court records detail at least two other children, based on differing initials. It is notable that his campaign website leaves those two children completely out of the narrative, and court records indicate at least one has taken their mother’s maiden name (Gaines).
There doesn’t seem to be any confirmation that Leah and Stephen officially divorced, but an extended period of separation and a long court fight occurred between mid-2015 and at least late 2017, during which Leah requested Stephen not be allowed to bathe their minor child.
Allegations of voter fraud have dogged Bright throughout the campaign, raising questions about whether he will represent the best interests of District 71. He shrugged off the voter fraud allegations by saying it was “an honest mistake” and has since updated his voter registration.
On AR Watch finds it difficult to believe that these allegations are yet another “honest mistake”. Furthermore, this is not the only candidate in Arkansas this cycle with credible abuse allegations. There is a domestic violence issue in state government, and many of our leaders seem not to care.
