Foster Unmoved from Council or Race After Conviction

If there were any questions about Pine Bluff Alderman Jack Foster`s position on the council, those were answered Monday night. Even though he was convicted of a felony in federal court, Foster still attended Monday night`s council meeting. Foster made no comment to the press, but he made it clear that he has no intention of resigning as alderman of Ward 1, or taking his name off the ballot for the city`s mayoral race. Mayor Dutch King asked Foster to resign during the council meeting. "[It is] my obligation to ask you in the best interest of the city, if you would resign immediately," said King. To that, Foster replied, "Thanks for the offer. You`ve done your job." Foster was convicted of federal extortion-related charges on September 24th at the Pine Bluff Federal Courthouse. "There`s a lwa that says if you`re convicted of a felony that you cannot hold public office," said King. Prosecutors say he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for his vote involving the zoning of a Pine Bluff hotel. "He`s not only making law for the city, but he`s a convicted felon, he`s going to be drawing a check on the taxpayers," explained King. Some Foster supporters say he was wrongly convicted and should not have to give up his seat or drop out of the race for mayor. "He has helped a lot of people in this community and we are going to support Jack Foster," said Barbara Blunt Muhammad, who attended the meeting. Mayor King says the council`s hands are tied -- a judge will have to order Foster to step down. And some say it should be up to the courts not the council. "If the law says go, then he needs to go. If the law says he can stay, then he`s going to use everything he can in order to stay there," said Rev. Jesse Turner, Pine Bluff Weed and Seed. Meanwhile, Foster`s opponents in the mayor`s race are running against a man, who could be on his way to prison. "There`s eight of us in there. It`s going to be a nice little uphill battle," said King. Meanwhile, the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney`s office is researching whether Foster`s conviction is official now or not until after his sentencing. They`re expected to announce Tuesday, if the state will begin steps to remove him from office or wait until his sentencing. The date for that has not been set yet, but it could happen some time in December.