Ben Carson on $31K dining set: I left details up to my wife

Housing Secretary Ben Carson, under fire after his office reportedly bought a $31,000 dining set, told a congressional panel that he left furniture purchasing decisions to his wife. | AP Photo

WASHINGTON — Housing Secretary Ben Carson, under fire after his office reportedly bought a $31,000 dining set, told a congressional panel that he left furniture purchasing decisions to his wife.

Carson, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, says he was unaware of the pricey purchase and that as soon as he learned of it, canceled the order. Emails released by an accountability organization last week suggest that Carson and his wife, Candy, played a role in selecting the furniture.

Carson on Wednesday said that he looked at catalogs but the prices were too high.

Instead, he said, “I left it with my wife to help choose something.”

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