IG Finds No Misconduct in Ben Carson's Furniture Order

The inspector general for the Department of Housing and Urban Development has cleared Secretary Ben Carson of any possible misconduct in connection with a controversial order of expensive furniture for his office, Fox News is reporting.

The watchdog had spent more than a year probing an order by Carson and his wife of a $31,561 dining set for his office, the news network said. Fox News said it had obtained a copy of the inspector general’s report.

“We found no evidence indicating that either Secretary or Mrs. Carson exerted improper influence on any departmental employee in connection with the procurement,” the report stated. “We did not find sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations of misconduct on the part of Secretary Carson in connection with this procurement.”

The IG found that Carson had left the purchase of furniture to his staff “in consultation with his wife.” It said HUD officials obligated the money from department funds in Dec. 21, 2017 for the purchase of the dining set. However, it found that HUD officials “did not make required notification” to congressional appropriation committees.

Carson ultimately canceled the order for the furniture amid media reports.

The inspector general’s office said it was “not making any recommendations to the Department as a result of the evidence gathered in this investigation because we found no evidence of misconduct…”

The HUD staffer, Helen Foster, who revealed Carson’s office furniture order, resigned in June of last year.

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