{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|68|2013|5|21}}<ref name=resigns/> | birth_place = | death_date = | office = Arkansas State Treasurer | term_start = January 9, 2007 | term_end = May 21, 2013<ref name=resigns>{{cite news |url=http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/92609/arkansas-treasurer-martha-shoffner-resigns-amid-charges-she-took-cash |title=Arkansas Treasurer Marth Shoffner Resigns Amid Charges She Took Cash |agency=Associated Press |first=Andrew |last=DeMillo |newspaper=Arkansas Business |date=May 21, 2013 |accessdate=June 15, 2013 }}</ref> | governor = Mike Bebee | predecessor = Gus Wingfield | successor = Charles Robinson | state_house2 = Arkansas | district2 = 79th | term_start2 = 1997 | term_end2 = 2003 | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | party = Democratic | spouse = | alma_mater = Memphis State University Arkansas State University | profession = Real estate }}
'''Martha Shoffner''' is the former state treasurer of Arkansas. A Democrat, she was first elected in 2006,<ref name="treasury">{{cite web|url=http://www.artreasury.gov/?page_id=6 |title=Meet Treasurer Shoffner |publisher=Arkansas State Treasury |accessdate=17 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721033145/http://www.artreasury.gov/?page_id=6 |archivedate=July 21, 2011 }}</ref> taking office in January 2007. She was re-elected in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2010/11/03/election-changes-arkansas%E2%80%99-political-landscape/ |title=Election changes Arkansas' political landscape |publisher=Arkansas News |accessdate=17 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120195426/http://arkansasnews.com/2010/11/03/election-changes-arkansas%E2%80%99-political-landscape/ |archivedate=November 20, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/11/03/local_news/doc4cd16f61c0a76945567276.txt |title=Gov. Mike Beebe wins re-election |publisher=Paragould Daily Press |accessdate=17 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419034719/http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/11/03/local_news/doc4cd16f61c0a76945567276.txt |archivedate=April 19, 2012 }}</ref>
==History== Shoffner was born and raised in Jackson County.<ref name="treasury" /> Born to a farmer and a school teacher, she graduated from Newport High School and attended Memphis State University and Arkansas State University. She started working in advertising<ref name="treasury" /> and is also a licensed real estate agent.
==Career== Shoffner was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/1999/R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Shoffner|title=Representative Martha Shoffner (Representative)|publisher=Arkansas State Legislature|accessdate=17 May 2011}}</ref>
After being term limited, she was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for the state auditor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaper.ardemgaz.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=QXJEZW1vY3JhdC8yMDA3LzAyLzE4I0FyMDQ3MDA=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin|title=Treasurer Martha Shoffner is holding onto the state's purse strings while bringing Arkansas art into her office. She still cherishes her family ties around Newport.|publisher=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|accessdate=17 May 2011}}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> In 2005, Shoffner announced her candidacy for State Treasurer on the steps of the Jackson County Courthouse. After being outspent almost 3-to-1{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} Shoffner was elected to the office in 2006.<ref name="treasury" />
==Arrest== On May 18, 2013, the FBI arrested Shoffner on a charge of extortion.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/92576/state-treasurer-martha-shoffner-arrested-for-extortion-by-fbi |title=State Treasurer Martha Shoffner Arrested for Extortion by FBI |newspaper=Arkansas Business |date=May 18, 2013 |accessdate=June 15, 2013 }}</ref> Following her release on bail, Shoffner resigned as Arkansas State Treasurer on May 21, 2013.<ref name=resigns/>
She was subsequently indicted on June 5, 2013, by a Federal Grand Jury on six counts of extortion under color of official right, one count of attempted extortion under color of official right, and seven counts of receipt of a bribe by an agent of a state government receiving federal funds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edar/pr/former-arkansas-state-treasurer-martha-ann-shoffner-indicted-federal-charges-extortion|title=Former Arkansas State Treasurer Martha Ann Shoffner Indicted On Federal Charges Of Extortion And Receipt Of Bribes|date=2015-07-14|website=www.justice.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> She was convicted of all counts on March 11, 2014, by a jury of seven women and five men.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://arkansasnews.com/news/arkansas/jury-finds-former-state-treasurer-guilty-extortion-bribery|title=Jury finds former state treasurer guilty of extortion, bribery |newspaper=Arkansas News |date=March 11, 2014 |accessdate=November 2, 2014}}</ref> On August 28, 2015, she was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in federal prison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/7928e2818e7c4efeb49933037286ce38|title=Ex-Arkansas treasurer gets 2 ½ years in prison|last=Lauer|first=Claudia|date=2015-08-28|website=AP News|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> Shoffner reported to prison on November 3, 2015 and was released from there in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brantley |first=Max |date=2017-09-22 |title=Martha Shoffner, nearing completion of term, back in Arkansas |url=https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2017/09/22/martha-shoffner-nearing-completion-of-term-back-in-arkansas |access-date=2025-11-11 |website=Arkansas Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Gus Wingfield}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Treasurer of Arkansas|years=2006, 2010}} {{s-aft|after=Karen Sealy Garcia}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | before = Gus Wingfield |title=Arkansas State Treasurer | years = 2007–2013 | after = Charles Robinson}} {{s-end}}
{{portal bar|Politics|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoffner, Martha}} Category:1940s births Category:Living people Category:State treasurers of Arkansas Category:Democratic Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives Category:American real estate brokers Category:University of Memphis alumni Category:Arkansas State University alumni Category:People from Jackson County, Arkansas Category:Politicians convicted of extortion under color of official right Category:Politicians convicted of program bribery Category:Women state legislators in Arkansas Category:Arkansas politicians convicted of crimes Category:20th-century Arkansas politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
{{Arkansas-politician-stub}}