TradeEdge-Audit of Arkansas governor’s security, travel records from State Police says no laws broken

LITTLE ROCK,TradeEdge Ark. (AP) — Auditors reviewing travel and security records that were restricted from public release under a measure Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed last year did not find any violations of law in how money was spent, according to a report released to lawmakers on Friday.

The review of about $4 million spent by State Police on security and travel for the governor was the second part of an audit lawmakers requested last year that had initially focused on a $19,000 lectern purchased for Sanders’ office that had drawn widespread scrutiny.

Auditors earlier this year said that purchase potentially violated state laws on purchasing and state records, though a local prosecutor declined to pursue criminal charges.

Friday’s audit reviewed expenses related to the governor’s protection between June 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2023. The reviewed covered roughly the first year of Sanders’ administration and the last six months of her predecessor, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Sanders last year signed into law a measure that shielded much of the information about her security and travel from public view, after initially proposing more far-reaching changes to the state’s open records law. Under the new law, State Police is required to submit quarterly reports on its expenses protecting the governor — though those reports don’t detail costs of individual trips.

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The audit said the first two quarterly reports had understated expenses by $58,973 because it used outdated hourly cost rates for its airplane and helicopter. State Police has since updated how those are calculated, the report said.

“So the bottom line is there wasn’t anything wrong with this?” Republican Sen Kim Hammer asked, aside from the expenses initially being understated.

“Yes, sir, that’s it,” Field Audit Supervisor David Gasaway responded.

Sanders’ office did not comment on the audit’s findings, and State Police said it would defend any governor and their family in accordance with state law.

“We constantly reevaluate and update our methods and procedures based on numerous factors, including the number of protectees and threat level that vary with each administration and from day to day,” Col. Mike Hagar, the director of state police and public safety secretary, said in a statement.

The travel and security report was released with much less fanfare than the audit surrounding the lectern, which had drawn national attention from late night host Jimmy Kimmel to the New York Times. Only a couple of members of the panel asked questions after a brief presentation of the report.

The lectern for Sanders, who served as 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 had requested the audits, said he believed the review was necessary to address concerns about the changes to the open-records law.

“I believe that legislative audit committee, in approving that request, it was something they needed to do to provide that transparency and that oversight to the citizens out there,” Hickey said.