Mayor Brandon Johnson in Chicago has a private gift room full of designer luxury given to him by supporters – and he tried to block a city inspector to look inside.
The room in the town hall is filled with the expensive equipment, including Hugo Boss Cufflinks; Designer bags from Gucci, Givenchy and Kate Spade, among others; AirPods; And a pair of size 14 Red Carrucci shoes, according to a report from the Chicago Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
The 48 -year -old progressive mayor is obliged to register each gift that is valued more than $ 50 and houses the items in the house – which are accepted on behalf of the city – in a gift room on the fifth floor.
A total of 380 gifts were registered in the publicly accessible docket between February 2022 and March 2024, of which 144 were received by its predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, according to the report.
Johnson has registered 236 gifts under his name, including a US National Soccer Team Jersey from 2023 and a personalized Mont Blanc -pen.
Two items are mentioned as housed in room 507, which is assumed to be Johnson's private office. Those items are a whiskey bottle from 1856 and a super 'one of one' T-shirt.
The well -known content of the gift room was unveiled after the Oig criticized the mayor's office for creating obstacles while trying to investigate the room.
Johnson's staff refused to allow a secret OIG investigator to view the log in June and they were instructed to submit a Foia request (FOIA) request. The deadline – that was submitted as a private individual – blew past without a response.
Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, has a private gift room full of designer luxury that were gifted by supporters
Some of the gifts in the Chamber are an American football sweater from 2023 National Team and a Mont Blancpen
Airpods and Hug Boss Cufflinks were also in the mayor's gift room
Only when Oig submitted a Foia request, did the mayor's office responded. Then they received an incomplete list more than a month after the first request.
OIG researchers then tried an unannounced inspection in the gift room, which was refused by the Ministry of Law on the basis of the fact that the Inspector General had no agreement, according to the report.
Oig noted that the refusal was a violation of the Stadswet, that the employees of the city are mandatory together with her questions.
“Ultimately, (the Ministry of Law) – apparently representing the mayor in contrast to OIG – communicated that Oig would not gain access to the gift room,” the report said.
“OIG was therefore unable to inspect the way in which gifts are stored, check the presence of gifts allegedly stored in the gift room, as stated in the GiftGogboek, or to assess checks around access to the gift room.”
The Chef of Johnson, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, said Oig that his office is happy to meet the OIG request with a 'correct planned appointment'.
'The mayor's office will make gifts available for inspection by the Oig as soon as possible. The (code code) does not require that the mayor of the mayor makes gifts available for unannounced inspections, “Pacione-Zayas wrote to Oig.
Oig was eventually allowed in the gift room, where it resulted in the gift and viewed the inventory.
