Chicago Mayor Implements New Gift Reporting Rules Following Watchdog Criticism

Mayor Brandon Johnson introduces stricter gift logging protocols and releases a video of the 'gift room' after an Inspector General report raised transparency concerns.

• Mayor Brandon Johnson's office has unveiled updated protocols requiring all gifts received on behalf of the city to be logged and reported within 10 days to the Ethics Board and Comptroller.
• The new rules include quarterly public updates of a written gift log and video recordings of the gift storage room at City Hall.
• The changes follow a report from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) accusing the mayor of failing to report valuable gifts and blocking investigators from accessing the gift room.
• Items listed in the gift log include designer handbags, jewelry, alcohol, and clothing, though many entries lack donor information despite the updated reporting requirements.
• The Chicago Board of Ethics has revoked an unwritten exemption for mayors regarding gift reporting, and the OIG has called the new protocols an improvement but emphasized the need for continued oversight.

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