Following allegations of improperly accepting gifts, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has released a video showcasing the city's "gift room" and announced new gift-handling procedures. The move comes after the city's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) raised concerns about Johnson's acceptance of valuable items, including jewelry, electronics, designer accessories, and clothing, without proper reporting.

The new protocols, effective Tuesday, mandate that city officials document and log gifts within 10 days, store them in a designated area under public video surveillance (updated quarterly), and donate surplus items. The initial video log, released Wednesday, displays artwork, apparel, and footwear. This action aims to address the OIG's claim that Johnson denied investigators access to the gift storage area during an unannounced November inspection.

An accompanying 18-page written log details the items, their location, and the donating organizations. The mayor's office stated that these measures underscore Johnson's dedication to ethical governance and transparency. However, the OIG report specifically cited unreported items like Hugo Boss cuff links, a personalized Montblanc pen, a U.S. soccer jersey, a Gucci tote bag, a Kate Spade purse, and Carrucci shoes. While some items appear in the video, the online log, as of Wednesday, did not include the tote bag, purse, or shoes. Furthermore, the log entries for the cuff links and pen lack information about the donor.

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg expressed concerns about the video's limited scope and practicality, noting the difficulty of identifying specific small items in the 22-second clip. She emphasized that the video doesn't replace the public's right to access these records and raised concerns about the lack of donor information for recently logged gifts. Witzburg stressed the importance of transparency in maintaining public trust and preventing the perception of undue influence in city government. She highlighted the potential for gifts to be used to sway official decisions, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to the city's ethics rules regarding gift handling.