Bush, family and top aides received $127,600 gifts last year from Saudi

[quaoar]

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/politics/9320234.htm

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - For President Bush, the first family and Bush's top aides, the most generous foreign leader last year - by far - was Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

The State Department's annual tally of gifts to administration officials shows that Abdullah gave them $127,600 in jewelry and other presents last year, including a diamond-and-sapphire jewelry set for first lady Laura Bush that was valued at $95,500.

The Saudi royal family's gifts dwarfed those of other world leaders, according to the tally, and easily eclipsed Abdullah's $55,020 in gifts in 2002. Abdullah has been Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler since 1996 after a stroke sidelined King Fahd.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Yeah, no special relationship there....

[Nite Owl]

2. That's what we know about,

what don't we know.

[CO Liberal]

3. I Thought They Weren't Allowed to Accept Gifts Worth More Than $25

Anything more expensive thatn that was gov't property.

Am I misinterpreting the law here? :shrug:

[daleo]

5. It becomes government property, the relevant passage is below

"All of Abdullah's gifts, and most others, sit in the National Archives. By law, federal employees must report all gifts received from foreign governments. The president and vice president and their families can't keep any gifts worth more than $285, which become federal property. While in office, however, they can take the items out on indefinite loan from the Archives."

The Clinton-bashing in the article does indicate that there may be a loophole though. If so, the Bush clan will drive a truck full of ill gotten gains through this loophole.

"Clinton caused some controversy in 2001 on leaving the White House when it was revealed that he was keeping $190,000 in gifts received during his time in office. He eventually paid for $86,000 worth of the gifts."

[tom_paine]

4. Tip of a very large iceberg

That total doesn't even count their Joint Theft Operations and their commingled Cayman Islands monies.

[Jacobin]

6. The real gift is their joint investments

[wrate]

7. And what did the Saudi get from the Bush family? n/t

[clydefrand]

8. French President Jacques Chirac gave him smell 'um goods

and soap. Do you reckon he thinks shrub stinks, too? :bounce:

[clydefrand]

9. French President Jacques Chirac gave him smell 'um goods

and soap. Do you reckon he thinks shrub stinks, too? :bounce:
Sorry for the repeat.

[acmavm]

10. Somehow I can't see diamonds and sapphires going well with the

drapery material she has her clothes made from.

[bemildred]

11. Pin money really, nothing much.

There is no quid pro quo, how can you suggest such a thing.
Just because it is twice what a well-off citizen might make in a
year, that doesn't mean there is anything corrupt about it ...

[demgrrrll]

12. GHW Bush and Babs took gifts totaling $144,000 when they left the

White House and as I recall there wasn't much of a peep.
The Clintons took two gifts from one glass artist, Chihuly at costs of 22,000 and 38,000, the 38,000 basket was a gift from the Georgetown alumni association. Those two gifts represented one third of the cost of the gifts that they accepted. Did George 1 and Babs pay for anything? The author of this article needed to mention what his dad accepted, not just what Clinton accepted.

[SoCalDem]

13. Actually, that's "chump change"..The "real" gifts are the ones

that do not have a dollar value attached to them...an auditable value, that is..

How can you put a "value" on the chummy fraternity that is theirs??

The "behind-closed-doors...secure phone line.. deals" are the ones that cost US the most ...and we will never hear about them.. If we "dare to mention them, or speculate"..we are conspiracy nuts.:(

[CarinKaryn]

14. and the shrub gave them...

frequent flyer miles!