The Tyranny of Sanders

Wednesday, September 13, another controversial bill in what is becoming the new normal for Arkansas legislation was introduced in a rushed manner by Governor Sarah Sanders.

Although Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) was introduced by Senator Bart Hester the day before, its proposal and enactment would solely benefit Sanders, giving her the option to be less transparent to taxpayers and more frivolous with taxpayer money.

The cause for the special session requested by Sanders to focus on SB 10 was an information request filed by a republican lawyer concerning Sanders’ recent trip to Europe with her security detail. Of course, this inquiry is legal and normal due to the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, regularly referred to as FOIA.

Like Sanders, the Arkansas State Police that provided her security are undoubtedly government employees who are paid with tax money by hard-working Arkansans. If tax money is be to accounted for or used for any purpose, the payees of those funds are entitled to know how those funds are being used. After all, Sanders and the officers of the state police are employed to serve the people of Arkansas, not to lord over them like an authoritarian regime.

The reaction of Sanders to use her authority and political influence to prevent taxpayers from knowing how she spent their tax money as she traveled abroad, proves that her intentions for SB 10 are not about transparency or honesty, but about corruption and manipulation.

This request to “revise” FOIA policies opens up more questions about what Sanders is working so hard to hide from the taxpayers of Arkansas. It appears that Donald Trump’s habit of breeding corruption and misinformation have more than rubbed off on Sanders while she worked for him as his deputy press secretary.

For now, it appears that Sanders is working to recreate the tyranny and authoritarian leadership she directly observed while working in the White House under Trump.

Cliff A. May