It's not how much and what makes it special you should be asking, but to whom the exorbitant fee was paid. There's a reason the price was inflated and it's payment for something other than a podium lectern.
Edit: Lectern, not podium. thank you for the correction.
That is a great way to bribe someone, without bribing them.
We had a similar incident with a non-profit I volunteered at. The president of the board authorized $5,000.00 to a close associate for a helium balloon arch. It worked out to over $110.00/per helium balloon.
She spent $19K+ in taxpayer money taking two of her friends on a vacation to Paris.
When she was called out for it, she claimed to have spent it on a special lectern. The state GOP then reimbursed the money, and claimed it was for them all along.
Matt Campbell from Blue Hog Report put in an FOIA request, and found an amazon receipt for an $800 lectern the day after the story broke. That is the lectern in the picture. Edit: This last piece may be rumor.
Edit: forgot to add, she then pressured the legislature to change FOIA laws so citizens can't get at this sort of information in the future. An audit came back last week, and was referred to the AG for possible prosecution - but alas, he's also a Republican.
OpticalInfusion on April 17th, 2024 at 16:46 UTC »
It's not how much and what makes it special you should be asking, but to whom the exorbitant fee was paid. There's a reason the price was inflated and it's payment for something other than a podium lectern.
Edit: Lectern, not podium. thank you for the correction.
ctdrever on April 17th, 2024 at 16:47 UTC »
That is a great way to bribe someone, without bribing them.
We had a similar incident with a non-profit I volunteered at. The president of the board authorized $5,000.00 to a close associate for a helium balloon arch. It worked out to over $110.00/per helium balloon.
Iamthewalrusforreal on April 17th, 2024 at 17:21 UTC »
No she didn't.
She spent $19K+ in taxpayer money taking two of her friends on a vacation to Paris.
When she was called out for it, she claimed to have spent it on a special lectern. The state GOP then reimbursed the money, and claimed it was for them all along.
Matt Campbell from Blue Hog Report put in an FOIA request, and found an amazon receipt for an $800 lectern the day after the story broke. That is the lectern in the picture. Edit: This last piece may be rumor.
Edit: forgot to add, she then pressured the legislature to change FOIA laws so citizens can't get at this sort of information in the future. An audit came back last week, and was referred to the AG for possible prosecution - but alas, he's also a Republican.
This was her response to the audit.
https://twitter.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1779986507580764449