Arkansas lawmakers on Thursday voted to audit the purchase of a $19,000 lectern for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, delving into an unusual controversy that’s prompted questions about the seemingly high cost of the item and claims that the governor’s office violated the state’s open-records law.
The all-Republican executive committee of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee also voted to audit the Republican governor’s travel and security expenditures that were retroactively shielded from public release under a new Freedom of Information Act exemption Sanders signed last month.
The 39-inch tall (1-meter), blue and wood-paneled lectern was purchased in June with a state credit card for $19,029.25. It has become the focus of intense scrutiny in recent weeks and has gained national attention. The Republican Party of Arkansas reimbursed the state for the purchase on Sept. 14, and Sanders’ office has called the use of a state credit card for the lectern an accounting error. Sanders’ office said it received the lectern in August.
Even if it was a historical piece… buying it is a waste of money (restoring, sure, buying no.)
All you really need is a podium sturdy enough to handle a few heavy books, and offer some concealment- either to hide props or whatever or in case the speaker feels the need to adjust,
Sure, but I was mostly thinking about plausible deniability of money laundering rather than good fiscal management. I don’t expect the latter from huckabee begin with.
deleted by creator
Woah there, calm down, they don’t have books since they’re all banned.