The attorney for an Arkansas whistleblower has sent a letter to the state legislature claiming evidence that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office manipulated a document linked to her purchase of a $19,000 podium, according to the Arkansas Times.
The whistleblower also claimed to have evidence that Sanders’ office ordered a state agency not to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request for documents that were not exempt from the law.
The documents were requested by attorney and blogger Matt Campbell, who blew the lid off what’s come to be known as Podiumgate.
Taxpayer funds used to buy the lectern were reimbursed by the state Republican Party on Sept. 14—the same day Sanders signed a law that weakened the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
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But who the hell buys a $19,000 podium? I mean how fancy can it be?
Cup holders, warming oven, cushioned support for long speeches, multiple colors and intensity settings for LED and incandescent lighting, fully digital, AI features, Shopify integration, Corinthian leather palm rests, spring released gavel, fully remote controlled locomotion while in use, spit guard, option to attach chain link front when speechifying in Honky Tonk venues, dog doo bag dispenser, catheter, and Bluetooth. Charges with usb micro 2.0.
Did you just invent a gamer podium?
I bet it rolls coal too
On people demanding documentation via FOIA
Of fucking course it’d use a USB micro
Do you cath?
Haha yeah it had to be the LED version that pushed the cost up
In all seriousness, custom ordered, using expensive rare woods, hand carvings, rush ordered from a master woodworker… I could see the cost getting up there.
But most government hardwood I’ve seen tends to be common (affordable) American species like oak and walnut. Because, well, it’s supposed to be a representation of America.
So yeah, probably embezzlement.
Could be a kickback or favour to a buddy
Yes. Embezzlement.
Embezzlement
theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one’s trust or belonging to one’s employer.
Alright, I finally looked up that word.
Walnut definitely isn’t what I would call affordable.
Cheaper than something like Teak…
Edit - Also, to be fair, I usually see American oak and Mahogany used in city halls, etc. Don’t see much walnut, probably just because it’s dark coloring isn’t great for public spaces. But IIRC, I’ve seen a few old floors made with it.
It’s about as fancy as a $1000 podium, but it comes with kickbacks
Someone who owns a podium company through a maze of shell corporations or someone who has money that needs laundering?
I bet it doesn’t even have a cup holder
Someone also paying for something other than a podium.
Lizz Truss’ (UK prime minister for 49 days) podium was £4,000. It wasn’t used for 49 days straight either.
Probably Cmdt LaSarge.
It’s probably built with Kevlar or steel, is height adjustable, and includes the electronic displays and equipment. Then maybe they bought two or three of them from a contractor that has security clearance.
Or it’s just a cheap one that had its price jacked up for no reason. Had they not fudged the numbers and included a build list that had redactions on it, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
It’s most likely it was bought as a favor for someone rather than because it was a super duper awesome Podium 9000
The same people who buy soundproof booths and “tactical pants”
Made from a solid walnut slab and black epoxy with a live edge by a… certain youtuber.
The don’t even try to hide the Grift (theft) anymore ~ Blatantly pilfering the States Coffers til her loss, Man WHAT a SCAM!!
$19,000 podium
sorry, what?
Money laundering or other fuckery.
Has to be. Even with custom carving, etc, that is absurd.
Lol. Y’all showing you’ve never looked at high end furniture before. $19k is nothing for people looking to spare no expense on a piece of furniture. I guarantee if you wanted to spend $100k on a podium, they fucking exist. We live in a world where people make billions and companies are worth trillions, and y’all disbelieve a piece of office furniture can cost more than some people make in a year?
Meanwhile, you’re just showing that you’re an asshole.
Dude, you cannot use the government money like that. That is the issue
Without seeing this podium, I have no idea what it should be worth. It could be quite expensive. And at that, no one takes on the risk of exposure over a few thousand dollars in maximum kickbacks. There might be some incompetence, low level greed from the builder or even wasteful ego from the politician. But it is not some criminal kickback.
It is so goofy that this makes a bigger splash than the millions and billions of dollars that occasionally are poorly spent and less common, criminally spent.
Ahh ty so obvious now that u say it
Nope, they exist.
Man, fuck that shit.
What really gets me now is that’s not even the “business” price.
C’mon bro, only 550 for 24 months!
It’s got a sound system but you can’t even drive it anywhere!
Bet that even SNL’s motorized podium didn’t cost 19 Grand.
Y’all up in here not understanding how expensive high end furniture gets, especially high end office furniture. Whether or not it is worth that price, that’s a different discussion.
And here
Found the Huckabee team account. But seriously, thank you for plastering the comment section over and over while missing the point.
The issue is not that they bought the podium, but that they cannot do that with expensive stuff, even worse, lying in government documents
