Ron Sparks has paid back the $500,000 loan for his campaign.

That should end the story for the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful, who borrowed the money from River Bank & Trust of Montgomery.

Instead, it’s likely the torpedo that will sink Sparks’ campaign for governor.

In these months, Sparks has danced around this loan issue, saying he put up his own assets to borrow the money, which he gave to his campaign.

Then comes a banking expert as reported by the Press-Register, who said Sparks would have needed about twice the income and real estate assets that public records show are in his possession to get a loan from most lenders.

Apparently, holding office has its privileges and Sparks used this.

But voters will never know the “rest of the story” because Sparks and his campaign play sleight-of-rhetoric when it comes to the loan.

Instead of standing straight up at the podium and telling the voters what happened, he hemmed and hawed until pushed, then issues a non-statement kind of statement, then began pointing fingers at his opponent, Artur Davis, and of sinners of times past.

OK. But, Mr. Sparks, wherefore the money?

Repaid or not, this loan should make voters uncomfortable. Too many public officials in this state have attempted to disentangle themselves from sweetheart money deals.

Sparks still needs to answer questions about the loan, plain and simple; paid or unpaid.