Next time Sarah Huckabee Sanders enjoys a taxpayer-funded European vacation, she doesn’t want you to know about it!
The Arkansas governor called a special session this week to overhaul the state’s Freedom of Information Act, restricting the release of her travel and security records. The law, which takes effect immediately, allows the state to mask details about security provided to Sanders and other constitutional officers.
The politico nepo baby says the restrictions are needed to protect her and her family’s safety. But critics, including some Republicans, view the law as a way for Sanders to shield herself from accountability.
“This is not about ‘security’ in any sense of the word,” a prominent Arkansas Republican group posted on its Facebook page, according to the New York Times.
The Arkansas branch of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group, decried the law as an attempt to “erode a cornerstone of democracy.”
Considering that Sanders served as Donald Trump‘s White House press secretary, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Curiously, when Sanders championed the legislation on X, she didn’t mention her family. Instead, she said it will “empower state police to do their job,” whatever that means…
I thought the issue was the safety of you and your children? Now that you can hide your shadiness from the people who pay your salary, it is all about attacks on law enforcement? Btw…the “bad actors” have fancy tax-funded French picnics while many in AR have food insecurity. Js
— Samantha House (@emtswife1) September 14, 2023
While legislators passed a stripped-down version of the legislation Thursday, it still curtails the release of records related to the protection of the governor.
In addition to the FOIA overhaul, the legislature also voted to cut taxes and ban the state from mandating COVID vaccines.
That far-right itinerary tracks with Sanders’ motives since being sworn into office. Instead of fixing Arkansas’ myriad of problems, Sanders has focused on building her own profile.
One of her favorite targets is the LGBTQ+ community.
Already, she’s signed her own “Don’t Say Gay” bill and appointed Jacob Oliva, the man responsible for crafting the odious legislation in Florida, to lead the state’s education department.
Sanders has also barred transgender teachers and students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identities, and banned use of the gender-neutral term “Latinx” in state documents.
One of her executive orders requires Arkansas teachers to acquire parental approval before addressing students by their proper pronouns.
In other words, Sanders seems intent on turning Arkansas into a mini-Florida. She’s following Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis straight to the bottom, one hateful piece of legislation at a time.
Last month, Sanders warned school districts to not offer an Advanced Placement class for African-American studies, just like DeSantis.
Speaking of “Meatball Ron,” Florida GOP lawmakers passed a bill earlier this year shielding his travel records from public disclosure. On Thursday, it was reported the flailing presidential candidate took at least six undisclosed trips on private jets in his first year as governor.
How any of Sanders’ edicts actually help her constituents is unknown. Arkansas is the fourth poorest state in the nation, with a mounting affordable housing crisis and massive food insecurity. A recent Scholaroo survey found the state ranks 49th in the nation for quality of life and 50th in the nation for quality of health.
Rather than fix those problems, Sanders wants to hide her movements from public view. It’s good to have priorities.
The Arkansas Constitution empowers the State Police to do their job. Nothing you have done empowers anyone but yourself.
— Phillip 🇺🇸 🏳️🌈 🇺🇦🟦 (@arkreader) September 15, 2023
How many bottles of $170 champagne did you buy for personal consumption with our taxes?
— Dan Whitfield (@DanWhitCongress) September 14, 2023
abfab
Wow, hey cool man. She does X! All right, gurl!
Curiously, when Sanders championed the legislation on X, she didn’t mention her family. Instead, she said it “empower state police to do their job,” whatever that means…
ZzBomb
It is true. The post-fact era of politics will end our Republic. And the people who are eagerly pushing for it, don’t realize just how deep they’re already digging their own graves gleefully.
abfab
I mean really…who the hell wants to hear about her trip to Europe! Who cares that she spent most of her time in McDonald’s and KFC?
Fahd
To be mean, based on those recent pictures, her diet’s not working. The best remedies are a strong free press (in Arkansas? lol), and a generously funded ACLU that can sue to protect civil rights and take things to the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary (with the current U.S. Supreme Court? ) Nevermind.
Fahd
Left out the “Not…” in the comment above. Too late to the edit.
Just.my.opinion
President Biden is certainly not the one who should be impeached. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is! She is, always has been, and always will be an embarrassment to our beautiful state.
Kangol2
Nepobaby Huckabeast is, unsurprisingly, following the hate-fueled right-wing ulture war + shield oneself from scrutiny playbook. And she had to throw in that far-right failed economic orthodoxy, cutting taxes, which seems to be the only thing the GQP can agree on other than authoritarianism and lying when it comes to policy.
Will these non-policies (Don’t say “gay”/Don’t write “Latinx”) help most Arkansans? No. Will they improve the state’s poor social indicators? No. Will they help wealthy right-wing donors who may boost Huckabeast when she runs for re=election and perhaps down the road for the presidency? You betcha! Soooooouuuuweeeeeeee!
KyleMichelSullivan
What’s sad is, a degree from any college or university in Arkansas will no longer be seen as worth a damn. Coming out of high school so poorly educated will only exacerbate that. And this thieving b*tch is only making sure it will get worse. Same for Texas and Florida, both of which used to have great universities but now provide diplomas that aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. Why any company or corporation would move to a state so deliberately backward makes no sense. They won’t have a good pool of capable workers, except at the most menial level.
wikidBSTN
Spot on!
Kangol2
Companies will still move there because it’s dirt cheap and Walmart is headquartered there and they’re not going anywhere. Don’t think Huckabeast ain’t banking on that.
Brian
She didn’t change much on that front. There was never a time before when people respected Arkansas’s colleges and universities. Arkansas is just a slightly colder Mississippi, and everyone knows it.
wikidBSTN
You people in Arkansas get what you voted for. Enjoy!
Fahd
The Colombian artist Botero passed away today. Seemed appropriate to mention it here. RIP
abfab
LOL
RosemarysBaby
HA! Fahd, your responses almost always please me, but this one takes the cake. I may have just fallen in love with you a little bit. 🙂
redhunter83
She needs to go now recalled or impeached, Walmart the only company in Arkansas needs to move out before it becomes state controlled, she’s just like her dad mike huckab*tch that said if trump isn’t in or loses in 2024 that it will be the last election chosen by ballots instead of bullets come on now is that the type of people we want running states or our country
JTinToronto
The people of Arkansas voted this thing into office. You made your bed now sleep in it. Electing someone as disgusting as that just solidifies Arkansas status as ARMPIT U.S.A.
Invader7
Typical of the hate filled NEO NAZI far right republithug low life sleazy politicians. They’re ANTI-AMERICAN despots. They are ruining America. They do not believe in the Constitution ! They’
re zealots and sociopaths /psychopaths !!
cuteguy
Nothing good ever came out of Mike Huckabee, especially this whale he spawned. I didn’t realize Rosemary’s baby was also a nepo baby.
Jimmynj
This Miss Piggy knock off should never have been elected. She is demonstrating she is completely unqualified to run a state. She learned how to not govern transparently from the dullard who sired her and the dullard she worked for in the White House.
PoetDaddy
This moldy rotten apple did not fall far from the moldy rotten tree of her despicable father. Lock her up!