Former Arkansas treasurer pleads not guilty in bribery case about payments from bond broker

The former Arkansas treasurer has pleaded not guilty to charges that she steered state investments to a bond broker who paid her $36,000 in cash.

Martha Shoffner entered the plea in federal court in Little Rock on Thursday. Her trial is scheduled for July 29.

She was indicted June 5 on 14 federal counts of extortion and bribery. She was arrested at her Newport home last month after the FBI said it caught her on tape accepting a $6,000 payment from the broker, who hasn't been identified.

Shoffner resigned days after the arrest.

Shoffner has said she accepted the cash but did not intentionally steer investments to the broker.