On February 27, 2018, The New York Times reported that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had spent $31,561 on a set of dining room furniture for the office of HUD secretary Ben Carson in late 2017, amid extensive proposed budget cuts at that agency affecting programs benefiting the poor and elderly, and in apparent violation of a federal law requiring Congressional approval for department head office redecoration costs exceeding $5000.
The news of the office expenditures came amid questions over Mr. Carson's son's involvement in a HUD-sponsored "listening tour". Ben Carson Jr. is a federal contractor, and HUD lawyers warned the secretary that his involvement would constitute an apparent conflict of interest in violation of federal ethics rules; in February, Secretary Carson was pressured into requesting an investigation of his son's involvement by the inspector general of HUD.
Video Ben Carson office furnishing scandal
Events
In November 2017, Helen G. Foster, former Chief Administrative Officer at HUD, filed a whistleblower complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, alleging that she had been demoted and transferred as retaliation after refusing to secure funding for the redecoration, as well as for exposing a $10-million budget shortfall, and for protesting being barred from handling certain Freedom of Information Act requests. Ms. Foster stated that, beginning prior to Mr. Carson's confirmation in March, she had been repeatedly pressured by Carson's wife Candy Carson, through interim secretary Craig Clemmensen, to secure the funding in violation of the law. After conferring with HUD's acting assistant chief financial officer for budget on February 13th, Ms. Foster claims to have sent HUD officials the text of the law requiring Congressional approval of the purchase, and to have been told "$5,000 will not even buy a decent chair." A February 22 memo from HUD's Chief Financial Officer reiterated the rules surrounding redecoration costs, as well as costs associated with securing Secretary Carson's home.
HUD spokesman Raffi Williams initially claimed on February 27th that HUD had only spent $3200 for new blinds for the secretary and deputy secretary's offices. That same day, the organization American Oversight sued HUD to determine how much money had actually been spent on office redecoration. Mr. Williams stated that the chairs then in the secretary's office had come from the basement of the HUD building.
According to Williams, neither Secretary Carson nor his wife requested the new table, the purchasing decision was made by career staffers, and Mr. Carson was initially unaware of the purchase. However, the secretary did not believe the cost to be excessive, and did not intend to return the items. Mr. Williams claimed that Congressional approval was not sought for the purchase because it addressed a "building-wide need", though the table would be located in Mr. Carson's personal suite. He also claimed that Ms. Foster's reassignment was part of a normal rotation.
The custom-made furniture, ordered on December 21 from Sebree and Associates based in Carson's hometown of Baltimore, included a mahogany table, ten chairs with velvet upholstery, a sideboard, and a hutch. According to purchase documents and the dealer, the table pedestals featured "hand applied ebonized inlay with bell flowers topped by hand carved scrolls and a fluted column." Delivery was scheduled for May 2018.
On the evening of February 28th, Carson and his wife denied any wrongdoing via Twitter. Carson claimed to be "as surprised as anyone" about the purchase.
On March 1, HUD confirmed that Carson had requested the furniture order be cancelled.
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Reactions
Possible investigations
Helen Foster was contacted for an interview with the Office of Special Counsel, which has 120 days from the date of the initial complaint to determine if it will launch an official investigation. Foster's lawyer, Joe Kaplan, said the OSC could determine to move forward as quickly as the week of March 1.
Trey Gowdy, Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, requested records relating to HUD's furniture purchases in 2017, to "determine whether HUD adhered to the applicable spending limitations", as well as documentation relating to Helen Foster's claims of retaliation. Mr. Gowdy set a deadline of March 14 for the delivery of these documents.
Other reactions
The White House was reportedly "furious" about negative stories surrounding spending at HUD, and anonymous sources reported the White House was taking a more active role to address the matter.
Editorials strongly criticized HUD's purchases and Carson's reaction. Vanity Fair called Carson's claimed lack of awareness of the purchase "truly amazing". The Baltimore Sun called the scandal part of a pattern in which Trump administration officials "shamelessly gamed the system for their personal benefit".
Late night comedians mocked the purchase and HUD's response. Trevor Noah of The Daily Show said that valuing a good chair at $5000 would make Carson "the worst Price Is Right contestant", and suggested the department use the money to build low-income housing instead, in accordance with its mission. Late Night host Seth Meyers said of Carson that "the man loves furniture. Based on his personality he's probably been mistaken for furniture."
See also
- Tom Price private jet scandal
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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