New York Times and MSNBC Reveal Potential Legal Violations in Arkansas Governor's $19,000 Lectern Purchase

Little Rock, Arkansas United States of America
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders used a state-issued credit card to pay Beckett Events L.L.C.
New York Times and MSNBC have revealed potential legal violations in Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' $19,000 lectern purchase
Potential violations include shredding a document, mishandling the purchase process, and altering public records
State purchasing laws do not apply to the governor or other executive branch officials
The cost of the lectern and consulting fee could not be determined due to lack of cooperation from vendors
The legislative audits found irregularities in the purchasing process
New York Times and MSNBC Reveal Potential Legal Violations in Arkansas Governor's $19,000 Lectern Purchase

In a recent development, two separate reports from the New York Times and MSNBC have revealed potential violations of state laws regarding the purchase of a $19,000 lectern by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office last year. The legislative audits conducted by both publications found several irregularities in the purchasing process.

According to the New York Times report, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders used a state-issued credit card to pay $19,029.25 to Beckett Events L.L.C., an event management company with ties to Ms. Sanders for the purchase of the lectern and its accompanying traveling case in June 2023.

The MSNBC report also confirmed that the potential violations include shredding a document that should have been preserved and mishandling the purchase process. The legislative auditors stated that their reports would be forwarded to the Sixth Judicial District prosecuting attorney and to Mr. Griffin's office for further investigation.

The Arkansas Times reported that Matt Campbell, a lawyer and blogger, was the first to obtain information about this expenditure through Freedom of Information Act requests. The Republican Party of Arkansas reimbursed the state for the purchase in September 2023 after public scrutiny.

Despite these findings, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office has criticized the reports as deeply flawed and claimed that no laws were broken.

The potential violations identified by both audits include shredding a document that should have been preserved, mishandling the purchase process, and altering public records. The legislative auditors were unable to determine the reasonableness of the lectern's cost or the consulting fee due to a lack of cooperation from several vendors involved in the transaction.

The Arkansas Legislative Audit report also noted that state purchasing laws do not apply to the governor or other executive branch officials, as stated by Attorney General Tim Griffin. However, this may not absolve Ms. Sanders' office of any wrongdoing and could still result in consequences from the Sixth Judicial District prosecuting attorney's office.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Are there any other potential violations that were not identified in the audits?
  • How will the Sixth Judicial District prosecuting attorney's office handle the investigation?
  • Were there any conflicts of interest involved in the purchasing process?

Sources

76%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Sarah Sanders' office potentially violated state law in $19K lectern controversy, audit finds

ABC NEWS SITE NAMES Name: ABC News Site Names URL: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-officially-blames-iran_106834435 ABC News Thursday, 18 April 2024 12:43
  • Unique Points
    • Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office potentially violated several state laws in the procurement and payment for a $19,000 lectern.
    • The purchase came to light when an attorney and blogger noticed a state-issued credit card payment to an event planning company whose owners are close with Sanders.
    • The custom lectern was paid for using a state credit card in June 2023.
    • No members of the governor's staff were disciplined for their actions, according to deputy chief of staff Judd Deere.
    • The purchase was applied to operating expenses instead of being capitalized as required by state law.
    • The governor's office failed to notify a state agency of the lectern's delivery and did not create a business expense justification statement on the day it was purchased.
  • Accuracy
    • The lectern was made available for viewing after a monthslong audit into its procurement and payment.
    • No members of the governor’s staff were disciplined for their actions, according to deputy chief of staff Judd Deere.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as the author only reports details that support their position of potential law violation by Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office. They do not report that the state Republican Party ultimately reimbursed the cost of the lectern after being called out for using a state credit card to make the purchase. This omission is deceptive as it gives readers a biased view of the situation.
    • Despite seven ‘areas of noncompliance’ identified in the audit report where the governor’s office potentially violated state laws regarding purchasing, state property and government records, Deere also said no members of the governor’s staff were disciplined for their actions -- 'nor should they be,' he added.
    • The governor’s office responded by characterizing the investigation as ‘a waste of taxpayer resources and time’ and called the audit report ‘deeply flawed.’
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority when stating that 'Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, a Republican, has already indicated he won’t pursue charges.' This statement is not a logical fallacy in and of itself, but it does suggest that the author trusts the attorney general's judgment without providing any evidence or reasoning as to why his decision not to pursue charges is valid. Additionally, there are several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article, such as 'waste of taxpayer resources and time,' 'deeply flawed,' and 'shadiest way imaginable.' These statements do not add any value to the analysis and only serve to inflame emotions.
    • ][The governor's office] responded by characterizing the investigation as ‘a waste of taxpayer resources and time’[[1], '[The audit report] was deeply flawed.’[2]
    • [Campbell] applauded the auditors’ work which he said proved ‘what we already knew: that the lectern purchase was illegal and done in the shadiest way imaginable.’[3]
  • Bias (80%)
    The author uses language that depicts the actions of Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office as potentially violating state laws without providing any concrete evidence or quotes from the audit report to support this assertion. The author also characterizes the investigation as a 'waste of taxpayer resources and time' and quotes Republican state Rep. Julie Mayberry expressing frustration over not being able to see the lectern during a hearing.
    • Republican state Rep. Julie Mayberry said at that hearing, '[We all can agree that $19,000 was spent on an item and no one has really seen it].'
      • ]The little-seen, $19,000 lectern at the center of a controversy in Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders[office] potentially violated several state laws.[
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      85%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' $19,000 lectern purchase may have violated state laws

      MSNBC News Wednesday, 17 April 2024 20:45
      • Unique Points
        • Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders office may have violated state laws with the purchase of a $19,000 lectern.
        • The custom lectern was paid for using a state credit card in June 2023.
      • Accuracy
        • The transaction was brought to light after blogger Matt Campbell filed Freedom of Information Act requests about the expenditure.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting the Arkansas Legislative Audit report and stating that it identified potential violations in relation to the purchase of a $19,000 lectern by Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office. However, the author also includes inflammatory rhetoric by describing the cost as 'exorbitant' and using phrases like 'potential noncompliance with Arkansas Code,' 'shredding of the lading bill,' and 'altering the public record.' These statements go beyond reporting on the facts of the situation and express a negative opinion, which is not a logical fallacy but can be misleading to readers.
        • ]The transaction was brought to light last year after blogger Matt Campbell, who now reports for the Arkansas Times, filed Freedom of Information Act requests about the expenditure. He said the Arkansas GOP only reimbursed the state after his FOIA request was filed.[
        • Among the potential violations the audit identified in relation to the lectern include payment for the items before delivery, claiming them as an operating expense even though that did not apply, shredding of the lading bill by a staffer in Sanders’ office, and altering the public record by including handwritten ‘to be reimbursed’ notes on two of three invoices.[
        • It’s unclear whether the audit will result in any consequences. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said last week that the governor’s office is not subject to certain state laws on government purchases.[
      • Bias (80%)
        The article reports on potential violations of state laws regarding the purchase of a $19,000 lectern by Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office. The author uses language that depicts the actions of Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her office as questionable and potentially unlawful. For example, she reports that there was 'potential noncompliance with Arkansas Code' and identifies several specific potential violations, such as payment before delivery, claiming operating expenses for non-operating expenses, shredding of the lading bill, and altering public records.
        • An invoice that included a breakdown of the bill listed the cost of the lectern at an exorbitant $11,575, as well as an otherwise unexplained $2,500 consulting fee.
          • It's unclear whether the audit will result in any consequences. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said last week that the governor's office is not subject to certain state laws on government purchases.
            • There was potential noncompliance with Arkansas Code regarding transactions and events related to the purchase of the podium and road case.
              • The transaction was brought to light last year after blogger Matt Campbell filed Freedom of Information Act requests about the expenditure. He said the Arkansas GOP only reimbursed the state after his FOIA request was filed.
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              79%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Ark. governor’s office might’ve broken law in buying $19K lectern, audit finds

              The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Jonathan Edwards Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:58
              • Unique Points
                • Arkansas legislative auditors found that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office may have broken the law while buying a $19,000 lectern and handling government records about its purchase.
                • The audit report stated that Sanders' office potentially violated state laws by shredding a document that should have been preserved and mishandled the purchase process.
                • Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin previously stated that the governor's office is not subject to state purchasing laws.
                • Sanders' office called the audit findings 'deeply flawed' and a 'waste of taxpayer resources and time'.
              • Accuracy
                • Arkansas legislative auditors found that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office may have broken the law while buying a $19,000 lectern and handling government records about its purchase.
                • The audit report stated that Sanders’ office potentially violated state laws by shredding a document that should have been preserved and mishandled the purchase process.
                • Sanders’ office called the audit findings ‘deeply flawed’ and a ‘waste of taxpayer resources and time'
                • The lectern was made available for viewing after a monthslong audit into its procurement and payment.
                • No members of the governor’s staff were disciplined for their actions, according to deputy chief of staff Judd Deere.
              • Deception (30%)
                The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of potential law-breaking by the governor's office. The author does not provide any context or information about why shredding a document or mishandling the purchase process could be legal, making it appear more deceptive than it may be. Additionally, there is emotional manipulation through the use of phrases like 'deeply flawed', 'waste of taxpayer resources and time', and 'COME AND TAKE IT' in the governor's statements.
                • No laws were broken.
                • The report was the only agenda item during a Tuesday meeting of state representatives and senators on the Legislative Joint Audit Committee.
                • No fraud was committed.
              • Fallacies (85%)
                The author makes an appeal to authority when quoting Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin stating that the governor's office is not subject to state purchasing laws. This statement does not necessarily mean that no laws were broken or that no fraud was committed. Additionally, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the audit as a 'waste of taxpayer resources and time' and referring to #PodiumGate as a 'firestorm'.
                • > Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) said in a letter to Sanders that the governor’s office is not subject to state purchasing laws.
                • The controversy led to national coverage of what became known as #PodiumGate.
              • Bias (95%)
                The author, Jonathan Edwards, demonstrates a clear bias against Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders by reporting on the allegations of potential lawbreaking in her office's purchase of a $19,000 lectern and mishandling of government records. He also implies that the governor is not being truthful when he quotes her office's statement that 'No laws were broken.' The author does not provide any counter-evidence or context to challenge these allegations, creating an imbalance in the article.
                • But at around the same time, another staff member sought estimates from an Arkansas-based audio and visual equipment dealer, who returned estimates ranging from $800 to $1,500.
                  • The controversy led state Sen. Jimmy Hickey Jr. (R) to request an audit, which led to Monday’s report.
                    • The report was the only agenda item during a Tuesday meeting of state representatives and senators on the Legislative Joint Audit Committee.
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication

                    92%

                    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                    Audit Questions Purchase of $19,000 Lectern by Arkansas Governor’s Office

                    The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Eduardo Medina Tuesday, 16 April 2024 00:09
                    • Unique Points
                      • Arkansas legislative audit found potential violations in the purchase of a $19,000 lectern by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office last year.
                      • Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders used a state-issued credit card to pay $19,029.25 to Beckett Events L.L.C., an event management company with ties to Ms. Sanders for the purchase.
                    • Accuracy
                      • The report will be forwarded to the Sixth Judicial District prosecuting attorney and to Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office.
                      • Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office described the report as ‘deeply flawed’ and stated ‘no laws were broken’.
                      • The governor used a state-issued credit card to pay $19,029.25 to Beckett Events L.L.C., an event management company with ties to Ms. Sanders for the purchase.
                      • Matthew Campbell, a lawyer and blogger, obtained the information about the purchase through a public records request.
                    • Deception (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Fallacies (85%)
                      The article contains a few informal fallacies and an example of inflammatory rhetoric. It uses a dichotomous depiction by presenting the governor's defense against the audit findings as either mocking the controversy or claiming no laws were broken, without providing nuanced explanation. Additionally, there is an appeal to authority when mentioning that state purchasing laws do not apply to the governor or other executive branch officials according to the state attorney general. Lastly, inflammatory rhetoric is present in the description of legislative auditors' report as 'deeply flawed'.
                      • . . . Ms. Sanders, a Republican, faced sharp scrutiny for the purchase, even from members of her own party.
                      • Her office described the report as “deeply flawed” and said that “no laws were broken.”
                      • The potential violations found by the audit include shredding a document that should have been preserved and mishandling the purchase process.
                    • Bias (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication

                    76%

                    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                    Podiumgate: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Gets Her Trump On

                    Bloomberg News Now Francis Wilkinson Thursday, 18 April 2024 12:48
                    • Unique Points
                      • In 2023, the governor’s office hired a Republican consultant to provide a lectern for $21,475.
                      • An anonymous state whistleblower claimed the governor’s office altered documents related to the purchase.
                    • Accuracy
                      • The purchase price included a $2,500 consulting fee.
                      • The lectern was made available for viewing after a monthslong audit into its procurement and payment.
                    • Deception (30%)
                      The author makes editorializing statements and uses emotional manipulation by describing the purchase as 'dimly comic' and 'small-time' while also implying corruption without providing concrete evidence. The author also selectively reports details that support their position, such as the high price of the lectern and the consulting fee, while omitting any context or information that may contradict their narrative.
                      • The report depicts a small-time, dimly comic routine
                      • In its basic dishonesty and subversion of the public interest, however, the episode is a strong measure of how completely Trumpism now defines the Republican Party.
                    • Fallacies (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Bias (75%)
                      The author expresses a clear bias against Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Republican Party by using derogatory language to describe her actions as 'dimly comic routine', 'basic dishonesty and subversion of the public interest', and 'strong measure of how completely Trumpism now defines the Republican Party'. The author also implies that there is corruption without providing any evidence.
                      • a strong measure of how completely Trumpism now defines the Republican Party
                        • In its basic dishonesty and subversion of the public interest
                          • The report depicts a small-time, dimly comic routine
                          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                            None Found At Time Of Publication
                          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                            None Found At Time Of Publication