Tuesday, November 14, 2006
GOVERNOR ROD ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION
Since our recently re-elected and quite possibly soon to be indicted governor has a penchant for having family members accept "gifts" from those seeking political favors, he might want to consider the scam the current governor of Arkansas is running:
Huckabees Registered For GiftsBy John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau • jlyon@arkansasnews.comLITTLE ROCK — “Wedding” registries in the names of Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet, have been set up at two department store chains in advance of the Huckabees’ move out of the Governor’s Mansion into a private home.
The term-limited governor leaves office in January, and friends of Janet Huckabee created the registries at Dillard’s and Target stores to help facilitate their transition to private life, Huckabee spokeswoman Alice Stewart said Friday.The Huckabees purchased a 7,000-square-foot home in North Little Rock this year.“Some ladies who are friends of Janet’s are giving her a housewarming party,” Stewart said.Arkansas law prohibits public servants from accepting any gift worth more than $100, unless the gift is conferred “on account of a bona fide personal, professional or business relationship” independent of the recipient’s official status.“Items costing more than $100 which are given to public servants to show appreciation for their efforts (i.e., to reward them for doing their job) or to reward them for past or future action are prohibited under this rule,” the law states.
Gifts from relatives are not prohibited, nor are wedding or engagement gifts.The Huckabees married in 1974. They entered into a covenant marriage in February 2005.
State law also requires public servants to report all gifts they receive of $100 value or more on their annual Statement of Financial Interest.
Stewart declined to say if Huckabee was sure that accepting pricey gifts as a result of the registries would be legal or whether he plans to report any valuable gifts they receive.
If the Huckabee's had wanted to relocate a little further north, they could have purchased the Illinois Governor's mansion as no one is living there now.
Huckabees Registered For GiftsBy John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau • jlyon@arkansasnews.comLITTLE ROCK — “Wedding” registries in the names of Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet, have been set up at two department store chains in advance of the Huckabees’ move out of the Governor’s Mansion into a private home.
The term-limited governor leaves office in January, and friends of Janet Huckabee created the registries at Dillard’s and Target stores to help facilitate their transition to private life, Huckabee spokeswoman Alice Stewart said Friday.The Huckabees purchased a 7,000-square-foot home in North Little Rock this year.“Some ladies who are friends of Janet’s are giving her a housewarming party,” Stewart said.Arkansas law prohibits public servants from accepting any gift worth more than $100, unless the gift is conferred “on account of a bona fide personal, professional or business relationship” independent of the recipient’s official status.“Items costing more than $100 which are given to public servants to show appreciation for their efforts (i.e., to reward them for doing their job) or to reward them for past or future action are prohibited under this rule,” the law states.
Gifts from relatives are not prohibited, nor are wedding or engagement gifts.The Huckabees married in 1974. They entered into a covenant marriage in February 2005.
State law also requires public servants to report all gifts they receive of $100 value or more on their annual Statement of Financial Interest.
Stewart declined to say if Huckabee was sure that accepting pricey gifts as a result of the registries would be legal or whether he plans to report any valuable gifts they receive.
If the Huckabee's had wanted to relocate a little further north, they could have purchased the Illinois Governor's mansion as no one is living there now.
