Chicago released a video of its "gift room" and announced new protocols for receiving gifts after a watchdog group accused Mayor Brandon Johnson of improperly accepting and failing to report valuable items.
Mayor Brandon Johnson dismissed the watchdog’s findings as a "mischaracterization", insisting he never personally benefited from any gifts. The move aims to increase transparency following an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), according to Fox News.
Unreported gifts allegedly included jewelry, alcohol, AirPods, designer handbags, and size 14 men’s shoes, raising ethical concerns. Under new protocols effective Tuesday, officials must report gifts within 10 days, store them in a publicly viewable area, and donate excess items.
The Fox News report says that on Wednesday, the city released its first video log, showing artwork, clothing, hats, and shoes, aiming to counter OIG claims that Mayor Johnson previously denied investigators access to the gift room during a November inspection.
"A written log contains 18 pages of items, along with their location and the organization that donated the gifts," Fox reported.
A statement from the Mayor's office said: "These procedures reaffirm the Mayor’s commitment to ethical governance and transparency and ensure prompt disclosure of all gifts received on behalf of the City."
The OIG report documented luxury items received between Feb. 2, 2022, and March 20, 2024, including Hugo Boss cuff links, a personalized Montblanc pen, a U.S. National Soccer Team jersey, a Gucci tote bag, a Kate Spade purse, and Carrucci size 14 shoes.
All of which are totally necessary to be a Mayor...
Meanwhile some items appeared in the Feb. 11 video log, but the tote bag, purse, and shoes were missing from the online log as of Wednesday. Other gifts, such as the cuff links and pen, lacked donor details.
Inspector General Deborah Witzburg criticized the 22-second video, calling it insufficient for transparency and presenting "practical challenges."
"There are some things visible in the video which are maybe recognizable, but I don't know that anybody is in a position to look at that video and find the pair of Hugo Boss cuff links or the personalized Montblanc pen," Witzburg told Fox News Digital. "I don't know that it lends itself to that. I'm not sure whether it's intended to."
She emphasized that the video does not replace public access and voiced concerns that even recently logged gifts lack information about their donors.
