Presidential hopefuls Nikki Haley and Tim Scott sparred toward the end of the second GOP debate over Haley’s previous support for raising the gas tax as governor of South Carolina and her spending while serving as United Nations ambassador.
Scott, a senator from South Carolina, said leaders should “lead by example” and addressed Haley after she criticized his time in the Senate earlier in the debate for not accomplishing the initiatives he called for on stage.
Scott noted that Haley as governor called for increasing the state’s gas tax by 10 cents over a period of a few years, to happen along with a cut to the state’s top income tax bracket.
“Talk about someone who has never seen a federal dollar she doesn’t like,” he said.
Scott also noted that $50,000 was spent on the curtains of a new residence for the then-U.N. ambassador, alleging that she was responsible for the spending decision.
Haley, who served as ambassador during the Trump administration, was the first ambassador to live in the new residence, but the purchase was made during the Obama administration, and Haley had no role in it.
“You got bad information,” Haley responded to Scott.
Haley said she pushed back against the gas tax “multiple times” in South Carolina and noted that the proposal to raise the gas tax was coupled with lowering the income tax. She also emphasized that the $50,000 purchase of the curtains happened before her time as ambassador.
Scott asked her why she did not have the curtains returned.
“Did you send it back? You’re the one who works in Congress,” Haley said.
“You are scrapping,” she added.