What’s inside Chicago’s controversial “gift room”? The door has finally been opened, and political reporter Mary Ann Ahern got a look at its contents.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration is implementing a new public viewing policy for City Hall's gift room, which houses gifts received on behalf of the city.
Starting in April, the gift inventory room on the third floor will be open to the public for viewing once per quarter. Members of the public can register for 15-minute time slots to visit the room between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Spots will be available on a first-come, first serve basis, according to the mayor's office.
Johnson's staff said after each quarterly public viewing, some of the items will be donated to local Chicago charities. The city's ethics ordinance prohibits city employees or officials and their immediate family members from accepting gifts worth more than $50.
After repeated requests over the course of more than a month, the mayor's office finally granted NBC Chicago access inside the gift room on Monday. When asked why there was a delay, staff members cited needing "time to organize the space for public viewing and ensure that the space was accessible per guidance from the Mayor's Office of People with Disabilities."
The controversy surrounding the gift room was first brought to light in January with a report released by Deborah Witzburg, Chicago's inspector general. Witzburg's report stated there was an unwritten arrangement that gifts were to be logged in a book that would be available for public viewing on the fifth floor at City Hall.
The OIG's office first sent a covert employee to the mayor's office to ask to see the room. The report said the staffer was turned away and told to file a Freedom of Information request. That too, Witzburg said, was denied because it was not answered in a timely manner. In January, Johnson disputed the report and said reporters would be allowed access to the gift room. His office opened up the gift room to reporters almost six weeks later.
What's in the mayor's gift room? Eventually the OIG's office was given a spreadsheet listing Gucci and Kate Spade handbags, HUGO BOSS cuff links and a personalized Mountblanc pen among other luxury items, plus the fire suit the mayor wore during the 2024 NASCAR road race.
The gift room created national headlines when U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, ventured off topic during the Congressional hearing on sanctuary cities last week.
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"For those of you who don't know, Mayor Johnson has a secret gift room that is not given access to the public or for access to the Office of Inspector General. I'd like to ask you a couple of questions about that. Do you know everyone who's given you a gift since you became mayor?" Gill asked Johnson.
"The city of Chicago has had a policy for 40 years," Johnson began.
"That's a yes or no question," Gill said.
The mayor and congressman continued to verbally spar back and forth.
"On June 12, 2023, you received HUGO BOSS cufflinks and a personalized Montblanc pen. Do you know who gave you those?" Gill asked.
"I did not receive those personally. The city…" Johnson began before Gill interrupted him again.
