Sometimes it’s not the initial act that gets you in trouble, but the coverup. HUD Secretary Ben Carson purchased a $31,000 dining room set for his office.  At first, he denied knowing it was so expensive and said he was trying to cancel the purchase.

Now CNN reports, “Emails show Carson and his wife selected the furniture themselves.  An August email from a career administration staffer, with the subject line “Secretary’s dining room set needed,” to Carson’s assistant refers to “printouts of the furniture the Secretary and Mrs. Carson picked out.”

When initially confronted with the price of the dining room furniture, The Secretary said he was shocked, but now emails obtained by CNN show he and his wife not only knew about the shocking price but were the ones who placed the order.