The state of Arkansas is facing scrutiny over the purchase of a $19,000 lectern for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The purchase was made with a state credit card, but the Republican Party of Arkansas reimbursed the state for the cost. Sanders’ office has attributed the use of the state credit card to an accounting error and stated that the lectern was received in August. Despite the controversy surrounding the purchase, Sanders has dismissed it as a “manufactured controversy” and the lectern has not been used at any of her public events.
A draft report of the audit requested last year of the lectern purchase was expected to be completed by the end of April, but has been delayed until early April due to a request from the governor’s office for an extension on their management response. The response from the governor’s office is due on Friday and will be included in the final report issued by the Division of Legislative Audit. The legislative auditor conducts over 1,000 reviews of state agencies, school districts, and local governments every year, and the audit of the lectern purchase is just one of many reviews conducted by the committee.
It is unclear when and how the report on the lectern purchase will be released to the public. The co-chairs of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee have the option to order an early release of the report, or it could be released at a special meeting called by either co-chair or by a request from 10 members of the panel. Otherwise, the report will not be released until the committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting in June. The delay in the release of the report has sparked speculation and further interest in the details of the audit.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican who previously served as press secretary for former President Donald Trump, has not commented on the audit report or the delay in its release. Sanders’ office did not respond to a request for comment on the matter and it remains to be seen how the governor will address the findings of the audit once the report is completed. The controversy surrounding the lectern purchase has brought increased attention to the spending practices of state officials in Arkansas, and the public is eager to see the results of the audit and any potential consequences for those involved in the purchase.
Overall, the delayed release of the audit report on the $19,000 lectern purchased for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has raised questions about accountability and transparency in Arkansas. The governor’s office has requested an extension for their management response, further delaying the release of the report to the public. The controversy surrounding the purchase has been dismissed by Sanders as a manufactured controversy, but the public is eager to see the results of the audit and any potential consequences for those involved in the purchase. The legislative auditor plays a crucial role in ensuring that state agencies, school districts, and local governments are held accountable for their spending practices, and the audit of the lectern purchase is just one example of the important work being done by the committee.
