# Podiumgate (Arkansas) - how big a deal is this?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [October 7, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245 "2023-10-07T14:41:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2023, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/41 "2023-10-08T09:02:32Z")
_Dais of Wine and Roses_
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### Author:  [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2023, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/42 "2023-10-08T13:16:38Z")
> [@Moriarty](#):
>
> Do we even know if this company makes podiums? I presume it’s a furniture company.
The company is called Beckett Events and I believe they were the company that organized Sanders’ inauguration. So it doesn’t seem to be a manufacturing type of company, but it’s hard to say.
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### Author:  [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/43 "2023-10-08T14:30:38Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> Do you want your politicians to take a stand or not?
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### Author:  [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/44 "2023-10-08T15:03:54Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> Do you want your politicians to take a stand or not?
A trampoline might be more testing - and diverting
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/45 "2023-10-08T17:06:30Z")
I think most of them should be _on_ the stand. As defendants after we dig through the widespread corruption that almost certainly really exists.
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### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/46 "2023-10-08T18:27:59Z")
> [@PastTense](#):
>
> It’s a very small deal because $20K is a tiny amount of money when you are talking about political corruption.
It’s not really the $20k that makes this a big deal though. It’s the fact that Huckabee is going through such heroic efforts to avoid any semblance of transparency even going so far as to change the law to make FOIA requests more difficult. I have a relative who works for the state of Arkansas, and she says her superiors frequently want her to drag her feet on FOIA requests. But to be fair to Huckabee, this is a problem that pre-dates her. If Huckabee is willing to go through these efforst to hide what is a “small deal,” what else is she hiding?
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/47 "2023-10-09T15:21:21Z")
While not directly relevant, Florida just passed a legislative change to exempt the governor’s travel expenses from public records. Apparently journalists were asking Too Many Questions about DeSantis’ expenses. So I wouldn’t put it past the AR GOP to device that the problem isn’t corruption but the public finding out about it.
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### Author:  [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/48 "2023-10-09T15:36:53Z")
> [@chela](#):
>
> Just girls wanting to have fun, with a podium in Paris.
Anything’s a toy if you’re brave enough.
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### Author:  [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/49 "2023-10-09T15:37:30Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> While not directly relevant, Florida just passed a legislative change to exempt the governor’s travel expenses from public records.
Ironically, one of the more redeeming qualities of Florida is that back in 1967 they passed something called the “[Sunshine Law](https://www.myfloridalegal.com/open-government/the-quotsunshinequot-law)”, which mandates a great deal of transparency in government in that state. That’s one of the reasons why you get so many “Florida Man” stories; there is such a wealth of crazy law stories to draw from because everything is open to the public.
Of course, there have been efforts for years by DeSantis to roll back parts of that law. For some reason he doesn’t like people knowing what he does. I’m sure Huckabee Sanders can sympathize.
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/50 "2023-10-09T16:36:32Z")
> [@chela](#):
>
> But those nickels and dimes can add up to a bigger cauldron of corruption.
Prosecute the nickel and dimers and you won’t have to worry about the dollars.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2023, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/51 "2023-10-10T05:01:08Z")
You wouldn’t have seen a scandal like this in a Trump administration. Trump would never have stood for somebody else pocketing government money.
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/52 "2023-10-10T14:05:22Z")
As scandals go, it’s a tiny one. But it’s indicitive of the lack of a moral compass in today’s Republican Party. Any chance to get the fingers in the cookie jar is not wasted. Of course nothing will come of this and since she has an “R” after her name, she’ll have the seat as long as she wants even though she’s unqualified and unfit, just like her phony preacher father.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/53 "2023-10-10T16:55:17Z")
I think that’s the key point here. Politicians (in both parties) have often been corrupt. But they were generally aware that they had to hide their corruption from the voters.
Modern Republicans no longer feel the need to hide their crimes. They know they can openly commit crimes and their base will vote for them anyway.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/54 "2023-10-10T16:58:37Z")
Ex—actly!
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### Author:  [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2023, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/55 "2023-10-10T22:59:09Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#):
>
> But it’s indicitive of the lack of a moral compass in today’s Republican Party.
Yes. Total lack, I’d say.
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### Author:  [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/56 "2024-04-15T22:42:44Z")
Woot woot:
>
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/57 "2024-04-15T22:54:01Z")
Boy, this makes me happy.
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### Author:  [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/58 "2024-04-15T23:24:06Z")
Me too.
Now, is anyone looking into those Super Bowl shenanigans?
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### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/59 "2024-04-16T02:38:37Z")
I’m a little cynical, but I can’t help but wonder if something so stupid might bring Huckabee Sanders down. Huckabee Sanders posted a weird video reponse on her Twitter account.
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### Author:  [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/podiumgate-arkansas-how-big-a-deal-is-this/991245/60 "2024-04-16T03:30:36Z")
I’ll bet these rustics really dazzled the Parisians with their free spending ways. Sounds like they had a good time.
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