Arkansas Governor’s Office Exonerated in Lectern Investigation

Arkansas Sixth Judicial District Attorney Will Jones says his office has now completed its investigation into the purchase of the $19,000 lectern by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office and has concluded that no criminal charges are warranted in the case. The attorney’s reported findings come after Arkansas lawmakers called for an audit of the podium purchase in 2023. Key factors in the decision include the lack of evidence of gross negligence related to a Freedom of Information Act request and uncertainty regarding the applicability of certain laws to constitutional officers. The blue and wood-paneled lectern was purchased in June 2023 with a state credit card for $19,029.25 from a Virginia company.