Article

2025-03-11 Government Corruption

Chicago mayor discloses 'secret gifts,' city will donate them, days after Rep Brandon Gill exposed 'ethical concerns'

[THEPOSTMILLENNIAL] Just days after Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) grilled reliably Democrat Chicago, aka The Windy City or Mobtown
...home of Al Capone, the Chicago Black Sox, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel...
Mayor Brandon Johnson

...Hizzonner da Mare of Chicago. He was elected in April 2023 to replace the disastrous Lori Lightfoot and immediately set about out-Richtering her. A member of the Democratic Party (naturally), Johnson previously worked as a social studies teacher in the city's stellar public schools system. He helped organize the 2012 teachers strike. Prior to becoming Da Mare, he served on the Cook County Board of Boodling Commissioners from 2018 to 2023...
about his "secret gift room" in Chicago's City Hall, the gifts have gotten pubic coverage from media and they are going to be donated to charity.

Johnson was being questioned in Congress over Chicago's sanctuary city policies, when Gill started grilling him on the different gifts that the mayor has been given. "For those of you who don't know, Mayor Johnson has a secret gift room that is not given access to the public," Gill said.

"On June 12, 2023, you received HUGO BOSS cufflinks and a personalized Montblanc pen. Do you know who gave you those?" Gill added, questioning the mayor.

Johson responded, saying, "So, I did not receive those personally, the city of Chicago—" Gill interjected, "The city of Chicago."

The Chicago mayor added, "That's right, on behalf of the city of Chicago."

Some of the gifts in the room include a signed Bulls jersey as well as a NASCAR driver's fire suit. In addition to that, there were HUGO BOSS cufflinks and a designer Montblanc pen, according to ABC7.

Gill did not stop there, but asked, "Do you know who gave those to the city of Chicago?" When Johnson began to say he received them on behalf of the city again, Gill pressed him again, "It's a yes or no question."

Both began to speak at the same time, with Gill then saying, "I reclaim my time sir. On March 18, 2024 you received a Gucci tote bag. Do you know who gave the city of Chicago that?"

Johnson reiterated that they were not personal gifts, but that they were given to the city separately. Gill once again, reclaimed his time as a politician at the hearing, and said, "This raises serious ethical concerns. You're providing an enormous amount of aid to illegal aliens, aiding and abetting criminals who have come into our country illegally. And you yourself are receiving an enormous amount of gifts, and you won't even tell us who they're coming from. This raises serious ethical concerns."

The local outlet reported that the gifts are now being shown to the public after there was a report from the Chicago inspector general which raised concerns about who gave the gifts. The gifts will now be listed on the city's website where it will also detail who offered the items and they will be donated on a regular basis.

Gill said of the new transparency on the gifts after the hearing regarding illegal immigration, "Chicago is a Sanctuary City that harbors criminal illegal aliens who are terrorizing the American people. Mayor Brandon Johnson has been a major proponent and defender of Sanctuary cities. At the same time, he was accepting luxurious gifts from undisclosed sources. While this new-found transparency is welcome, it isn't enough. Sanctuary city policies must end now. Our elected officials have a duty to American citizens, not illegal aliens."

Posted by Fred 2025-03-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11146 views ] Top

#1 This is all one big joke if anyone is going to pretend there was any sort of "transparency" here.

I spent a decade as a Federal Bank Examiner. We were drilled early and often that we couldn't even accept a lunch at a Western Sizzler from a bank we were examining.

We've got to stop splitting hairs over this crap and just designate them as the *crimes* that they are.

Posted by Crusader 2025-03-11 00:06|| 2025-03-11 00:06|| Front Page Top

#2 The cufflinks, the pen and the other material gifts are pretty small potatoes.

The more serious stuff is, for example, giving friends and relatives of the mayor jobs that don't require him to work, large donations to campaign funds that end up being used for personal benefit, and sweetheart deals that involve the mayor or his friends and relatives buying real estate at less than market or getting loans with no interest or forgivable principle.

Posted by Lord Garth 2025-03-11 10:19|| 2025-03-11 10:19|| Front Page Top

#3
So basically if the Mayor robbed a bank and was later identified, and gave back $$$$. Then it is ok under Illinois law?

Posted by NN2N1 2025-03-11 10:25|| 2025-03-11 10:25|| Front Page Top

#4 ^3
Actually, it might be. If the Bank decided not to testify against the Mayor and there were no other witnesses, prosecution might be difficult. The mayor could claim that it was all a stunt or a test designed to help the bank be more secure.

Posted by Lord Garth 2025-03-11 21:43|| 2025-03-11 21:43|| Front Page Top

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