Ben Carson has HUD buy $30k table for office, demotes person who cited law & refused

[BmorePat87]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/27/huds-new-table-for-secretary-carsons-dining-room-costs-31561.html


With HUD proposing major cuts, Carson is coming under fire for spending nearly $165k on new furniture, including $30k on a new dining room set for his office.

HUD originally said that only $3,400 was spent (on blinds) below the $5,000 threshold for Congressional approval. But a demoted HUD worker revealed that nearly $31,000 was spent on a custom dining room set (at the demands of Carson's wife) and that the employee was demoted for refusing to buy it, citing the law.

HUD then revealed that the dining room set was purchased, but claimed Carson himself was not involved. The excuse for circumventing the law was a claim that it was allowed as it addressed a building wide need.

Carson's wife is reported to have said that $5,000 couldn't even get you a decent chair and demanded that money be found to pay for the whole custom set.

[*Nately120*]

[GMDino]

(02-28-2018, 12:53 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/27/huds-new-table-for-secretary-carsons-dining-room-costs-31561.html


With HUD proposing major cuts, Carson is coming under fire for spending nearly $165k on new furniture, including $30k on a new dining room set for his office.

HUD originally said that only $3,400 was spent (on blinds) below the $5,000 threshold for Congressional approval. But a demoted HUD worker revealed that nearly $31,000 was spent on a custom dining room set (at the demands of Carson's wife) and that the employee was demoted for refusing to buy it, citing the law.

HUD then revealed that the dining room set was purchased, but claimed Carson himself was not involved. The excuse for circumventing the law was a claim that it was allowed as it addressed a building wide need.

Carson's wife is reported to have said that $5,000 couldn't even get you a decent chair and demanded that money be found to pay for the whole custom set.

I wish I was surprised.

I wish the rubes so blinded by feeling "forgotten" would open their eyes.

[CKwi88]

Consider the swamp drained.

[*Nately120*]

Isn't the real shame of this that Ben Carson was actually pretty good at saving people's lives before he became a politician...toss in the fact that he seems to be leaning towards being yet another crooked politician? My lord, what a tragedy. It's one thing when overgrown used car salesmen-types get into this racket, but a neurosurgeon? Jeebus wept.

[StLucieBengal]

(02-28-2018, 12:53 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/27/huds-new-table-for-secretary-carsons-dining-room-costs-31561.html


With HUD proposing major cuts, Carson is coming under fire for spending nearly $165k on new furniture, including $30k on a new dining room set for his office.

HUD originally said that only $3,400 was spent (on blinds) below the $5,000 threshold for Congressional approval. But a demoted HUD worker revealed that nearly $31,000 was spent on a custom dining room set (at the demands of Carson's wife) and that the employee was demoted for refusing to buy it, citing the law.

HUD then revealed that the dining room set was purchased, but claimed Carson himself was not involved. The excuse for circumventing the law was a claim that it was allowed as it addressed a building wide need.

Carson's wife is reported to have said that $5,000 couldn't even get you a decent chair and demanded that money be found to pay for the whole custom set.

That’s crazy. He needs to have a word with his wife.

She isn’t working at HUD.

[Vas Deferens]

(02-28-2018, 06:37 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: That’s crazy.   He needs to have a word with his wife.  

She isn’t working at HUD.

GOP and their supporters need a basic education that includes the definition of entitlement and the effectiveness of nepotism

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2018, 06:37 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: That’s crazy.   He needs to have a word with his wife.  

She isn’t working at HUD.

The only authority his wife has is what Carson gives her.

This is all on him.

[Benton]

(02-28-2018, 01:35 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: Consider the swamp drained.

One side feeling like they’re just ‘getting their due.’

[StLucieBengal]

(02-28-2018, 07:35 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The only authority his wife has is what Carson gives her.

This is all on him.

Exactly why I said he needs to have a word with her

[BmorePat87]

(02-28-2018, 06:37 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: That’s crazy. He needs to have a word with his wife.

She isn’t working at HUD.

Nepotism over experience in this administration. It's par for the course

[*bfine32*]

Who knows where bias will lead our thoughts on this, but reading the story it appears Carson actually took furniture that was already purchased to decorate his office and made no new purchases (well perhaps the blinds). It appears the dining set (not just a table) in question was purchased to upgrade a common area that had not been upgraded in about 50 years and Carson was unaware of such a purchase. The part about what his "wife said" carries absolutely no merit with me.

I will say if Carson did OK a purchase and purposely chose to circumvent regulations then he should be fined for the purchase and removed from office. He can take the dining room set with him.

[BmorePat87]

This is the table in question.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/photos-heres-the-dining-room-set-carsons-hud-is-replacing-for-31561

It's part of the secretary's suite.

I'm not sure how a standard dining room table and hutch could could over $5000, let alone over $30,000

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2018, 10:21 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: This is the table in question.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/photos-heres-the-dining-room-set-carsons-hud-is-replacing-for-31561

It's part of the secretary's suite.

I'm not sure how a standard dining room table and hutch could could over $5000, let alone over $30,000

Seems those photos are of the one being replaced; not the one purchased. 

[BmorePat87]

(02-28-2018, 10:31 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Seems those photos are of the one being replaced; not the one purchased. 

Thanks, I phrased that poorly. I had just read about the repair order for that original table when I wrote that.

The new table hasn't come yet, but they don't plan on canceling the order. No photos of it yet.

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2018, 08:46 PM)bfine32 Wrote: It appears the dining set (not just a table) in question was purchased to upgrade a common area that had not been upgraded in about 50 years and Carson was unaware of such a purchase.

The purchase was clearly made by HUD and a staff member was demoted for complaining about it.  If Carson doesn't know what is going on in HUD the that makes him look even worse.

[BmorePat87]

(02-28-2018, 11:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The purchase was clearly made by HUD and a staff member was demoted for complaining about it.  If Carson doesn't know what is going on in HUD the that makes him look even worse.

He was busy researching Egyptian grain storage.

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2018, 11:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The purchase was clearly made by HUD and a staff member was demoted for complaining about it.  If Carson doesn't know what is going on in HUD the that makes him look even worse.

Meh, folks in my department purchase things all the time and I do not know about it; as I put trust in many of my subordinates, and I doubt I have as many as Carson does. This doesn't mean I do not know what is going on. But as I said: our bias will make us see this story differently and if Carson knew about the illegal purchase he should be fired

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2018, 11:24 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Meh, folks in my department purchase things all the time and I do not know about it;

How many people on your staff get demoted without you knowing about it?

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2018, 11:47 PM)fredtoast Wrote: How many people on your staff get demoted without you knowing about it?

None, but as I said Carson most likely has more subordinates than I. 

Also I didn't see where she was demoted; simply reassigned.