LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Accountants who review travel and safety data whose disclosure was prohibited under an executive order by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed last year found no violations of the law in the way money was spent, according to a report released to lawmakers on Friday.
The review of the roughly $4 million state police spent on security and travel for the governor was the second part of an audit requested last year that lawmakers initially aimed at $19,000 lectern purchased for Sanders’ office, which had attracted a lot of attention.
Auditors said earlier this year that the purchase may have violated state purchasing and state registration laws, although this was local prosecutor refused to institute criminal proceedings.
Friday’s audit assessed spending related to protecting the governor between June 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023. The review covered roughly the first year of Sanders’ administration and the last six months of her predecessor, former Governor Asa Hutchinson.
Sanders signed a law last year that shielded much of the information about the law her safety and travel from public opinion, after initially proposing more far-reaching changes to the state’s public records law. Under the new law, state police are required to submit quarterly reports on its spending to protect the governor — although those reports do not detail the costs of individual trips.
The audit found that the first two quarterly reports underestimated expenses by $58,973 because they used outdated hourly rates for the aircraft and helicopter. State police have since updated how these are calculated, the report said.
“So the bottom line is there was nothing wrong with this?” asked Republican Senator Kim Hammer, noting that the expenditures had initially been understated.
“Yes sir, it is,” replied Field Audit Supervisor David Gasaway.
Sanders’ office did not comment on the audit’s findings, and state police said it would defend each governor and his family in accordance with state law.
“We continually evaluate and update our methods and procedures based on numerous factors, including the number of persons protected and the threat level which varies by administration and day by day,” said Col. Mike Hagar, state police director and public safety secretary. said in a statement.
The travel and safety report was released with much less fanfare than it audit around the desk, which had attracted national attention from late night host Jimmy Kimmel to the New York Times. Only a few members of the panel asked questions after a brief presentation of the report.
The lectern for Sanders, who was former President Donald Trump’s press secretary, was initially purchased with a state credit card. The Republican Party of Arkansas later reimbursed the state for the purchase, and Sanders’ office has called the use of a state credit card for the lectern an accounting error.
Republican Sen. Jimmy Hickey, who requested the audits, said he believed the review was necessary to address concerns about changes to the open records law.
“I believe that the Legislative Audit Committee, by approving that request, was something that they needed to do to provide that transparency and that oversight to the citizens out there,” Hickey said.