HUD Spent $31,000 On a New Dining Set for Ben Carson's Office

In late 2017, the Department of Housing and Urban Development bought a $31,000 dining room set for Secretary Ben Carson’s Office. ????The purchase happened at the same time the White House was announcing plans to cut HUD programs, according to federal procurement records. ????HUD Spokesperson Raffi Williams told the New York Times that Carson didn’t know about the table. ??He said “In general, the secretary does want to be as fiscally prudent as possible with the taxpayers’ money.”??There was no approval given from the house or Senate Appropriations Committed before purchasing the dining set.??Federal law says that there must be congressional approval to redecorate a department head’s offices if it costs more than $5,000. ?? ??