Hello, Fort Smith! Gov. Sanders leans into Capital for a Day trips on taxpayers’ dime

Even if you loathe Sarah Sanders, perhaps you are continuing to support her reelection bid for governor. Doesn’t that make you feel all warm inside, or perhaps hot under the collar?

Undeterred, unembarrassed and undaunted by columnist Rex Nelson’s scathing critique, she is continuing to take now-weekly visits to cities around the state as part of the Capital for a Day program. We got an email from her .gov account earlier this week – meaning it’s official governor business – alerting us to her visit today, Oct. 21, to Fort Smith to celebrate the city as the 27th Capital for a Day. Cue up the parade.

Nelson, who worked for Sanders’ father, Mike Huckabee, when he was governor, told us last week – and then he columnized about it on Sunday in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – that he and Mike used to make these trips, as did several other governors, but that, as Nelson put it, they would never have dreamed of continuing the trips during election season. Doing so would be the equivalent to using tax money to campaign with, thereby constituting an obvious ethical no-no. Well, obvious to anyone with an ethical bone in their body.

Not only are we “during election season” now, but it’s VOTING season, with early voting starting this past Monday, and extending all the way to Election Day on Nov. 3.

The lack of shame associated with the Huckabees is legendary. Gov. Mike may have had some squeamishness years ago in traveling on the taxpayers’ dime as he campaigned (it could have been that he just hadn’t thought it up yet), but now daughter Sarah is pushing the ugly envelope in doing so. In short, he played fast and loose with money and luxuries, thereby creating a number of ethical complaints. Sanders, however, just goes straight for the cash that’s disguised as money for official travel.

We caught up with one of Sanders’ gubernatorial opponent, independent candidate Colt Shelby.

“It’s illegal, but no one cares,” he said in between campaigning and tending cattle on his farm in Franklin County. 

Shelby said Sanders had never been fiscally conservative – pointing to her much-maligned purchase of a $19,000 lectern – saying she believes she deserves all the bells and whistles her position commands.

“She doesn’t know any better,” Shelby said. “She thinks what she’s doing is normal. If you abused corporate money that way, you would be fired from any normal job. But she’s never had a normal job. What she’s doing is a big no-no – something I would never ever do. If you can’t campaign on your own dime and time, you shouldn’t be running for office.”

Fred Love, Sanders’ Democratic opponent, couldn’t be reached for comment.

We asked the governor’s office how much all these Capital for a Day events were costing taxpayers and they responded by saying they aren’t required “to answer interrogatories or to otherwise provide raw information.” So, not required, maybe, but would it hurt to tell the public what they are being charged for?

Recall that Sanders prevailed with the Legislature in 2023 and was able to hide all her travel details and expenses from pesky FOIA requests. Even so, you’d have to figure a top-rated campaign event would set you back several thousands of dollars, but the state has millions in reserve, so not to worry! 

We’ll keep you posted on future governor trips. Perhaps you’d like to tag along with a sign saying just how much you appreciate her using your money to support her campaign. Or maybe ask for a refund.

In a separate email sent last week, we asked if the governor would like to comment for that story, but we didn’t hear back. No surprise there.