Little Rock, AR– A legislative audit that took months of investigating was released on Monday afternoon revealing multiple flaws by the Governor of Arkansas, Sarah Huckabee- Sanders.
The audit reports that there were seven violations that Governor Sanders was non-compliant.
Those violation include shredding of a bill, paying for the lectern before delivery, breaking the records- requirement and capitalizing the purchase was an operating expense.
The audit was first requested by state Sen. Jim Hickey (R-TEXARKANA) in October of 2023.
The questions and concerns came after a $19,029.25 lectern was purchased using a State of Arkansas credit card, the audit claimed it was unable to determine if the price was great after no response from other lectern selling companies.
A governor’s office spokesperson acknowledged that a state employee was told to hand-write “To be reimbursed” on the purchase order for the lectern.
The Republican Party of Arkansas later reimbursed the purchase.
After the audit request, attorney Tom Mars sent a letter to Hickey offering a witness who could attest to Freedom of Information Act records related to the lectern purchase that were knowingly altered or withheld by the governor’s office after they were requested.
The facts outlined in the report demonstrate what the governor’s office said all along: we followed the law, and the state was fully reimbursed with private funds for the podium, at no cost to the taxpayers.
– Alexa Henning, Comms. Director for Gov. Sanders (KARK- TV)
To this day, the lectern has yet to be seen at any events held by the governor.