Taking one’s memory back fifty-two years is a bit of a stretch, but Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s hiding of gifts he has received spurred a thought
Governor Dan Walker was revealed to have received some gift early on in his 1973-77 term that embarrassed him.
In an attempt to pull himself out of the publicity hole, he started a gift book in which everything he was given was recorded.
I’m guessing that some Chicago Mayor followed that example by creating what today is called a “Gift Log.”
Gifts to Johnson, however, were hidden away in a secret room.
NBC reports,
Chicago mayor’s office accepted luxury gifts without properly reporting them: OIG – FOX32 (Chicago)
Among the gifts given under the Johnson administration were Hugo Boss cufflinks; Givenchy, Gucci, and Kate Spade handbags; a personalized Mont Blanc pen; and size 14 men’s shoes, OIG officials said. Some of the gifts were stored in the gift room and the others were in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s personal office, the inspector said. The OIG visited the fifth floor to conduct an unannounced inspection of the Gift Room and was denied access.
