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Association defends gifts to first lady Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 By John Lyon Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The president of a nonprofit association that collects donations to pay for improvements to the Governor's Mansion said Wednesday that she sees no problem with the association's recent donation of $7,500 worth of dinnerware to first lady Janet Huckabee. Sally Stevens, president of the Governor's Mansion Association, said the group gave 20 five-piece place settings of Lenox china and 20 three-piece place settings of Lenox crystal to Mrs. Huckabee. The gift was announced at a ceremony celebrating the naming of the mansion's Grand Hall in honor of Janet Huckabee, Stevens said. Donated funds were used to buy the dinnerware, Stevens said. She was asked if the association's donors were told their donations might be used for gifts for the first lady instead of improvements to the mansion. "I don't think anybody has ever asked, per se, but I feel very comfortable with how we have spent every dime that we have spent at the association," she said. Stevens said the association wanted to show appreciation to the first lady, who spearheaded fundraising efforts that collected more than $6 million for mansion improvements. "Without her, we would not have accomplished that," Stevens said. Janet Huckabee said Wednesday the china and crystal are not yet in her possession. "I haven't received any of it yet, but I was told they were going to give me something," she said. Huckabee said questions about how the items were purchased should be taken up with the association. Stevens said the dinnerware probably is still in boxes, waiting to go to the Huckabees' new home. The Huckabees are preparing to move out of the mansion when term-limited Gov. Mike Huckabee leaves office and move into a house in North Little Rock. Graham Sloan, executive director of the Arkansas Ethics Commission, said a public servant is required to report on his or her annual financial statement any gifts worth more than $100 received by the public servant and by his or her spouse. However, the state statute that prohibits public servants from accepting gifts worth more than $100 - with several exceptions - does not apply to spouses, Sloan said. Sloan said a gift that is given to a public servant's spouse but is clearly intended for the public servant, not the spouse, would be prohibited. He was not sure whether gifts that can be used by both the public servant and the spouse would be prohibited. "I don't know that the commission has ever been called upon to answer that question," he said. Last week, it was disclosed that "wedding" registries were set up in the names of Mike and Janet Huckabee at Target and Dillard's stores. A spokeswoman for the governor's office said the registries were created by friends of Janet Huckabee who were planning a housewarming party. The Governor's Mansion Association has said it will provide $10,000 to Mike and Ginger Beebe to buy towels, linens and other items when Mike Beebe takes office in January. Janet Huckabee requested the money for the Beebes, The Associated Press reported. The Huckabees are not the first couple to accept gifts in advance of leaving office. ABC News reported that Bill and Hillary Clinton accepted $190,027 in gifts during Bill Clinton's final year as president. Clinton supporters set up an account "akin to a gift registry" at Borsheim's, a high-end jewelry and china shop owned by billionaire financier Warren Buffett, as the Clintons prepared to move out of the White House, the network reported. |
