Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson keeps a private gift room stocked with luxury items from supporters

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson maintains a private gift room filled with high-end designer items from supporters—and he attempted to prevent a city inspector from accessing it.

According to a report by the Chicago Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the City Hall room contains luxury goods such as Hugo Boss cufflinks, designer bags from Gucci, Givenchy, and Kate Spade, AirPods, and a pair of size 14 red Carrucci shoes.

WATCH: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to an inspector general report released this morning showing that his office blocked investigators from accessing a City Hall “gift room” filled with jewelry, luxury handbags, shoes and alcohol—and failed to properly disclose those… https://t.co/a2ki2pj8gT pic.twitter.com/GLQevu9FjM
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As required by city regulations, the 48-year-old progressive mayor must document any gift valued over $50 and store accepted items—received on behalf of the city—in a designated gift room on the fifth floor. Between February 2022 and March 2024, a total of 380 gifts were logged in the public record, 144 of which were received by Johnson’s predecessor, Lori Lightfoot.

The mayor’s office initially failed to respond to an OIG request for records, only providing an incomplete list more than a month after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was filed. When OIG investigators attempted an unannounced inspection of the gift room, they were denied access by the Department of Law, which cited the lack of an appointment. The OIG report stated that this refusal violated municipal code, which requires city employees to comply with its inquiries.

“Ultimately, (the Department of Law)—apparently representing the Mayor in opposition to OIG—communicated that OIG would not be granted access to the Gift Room,” the report noted.

“As a result, OIG was unable to inspect the manner in which gifts are stored, audit the presence of logged gifts, or review controls over access to the Gift Room.”

Johnson’s Chief of Staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, later stated that the mayor’s office was willing to cooperate but required a “properly scheduled appointment.”

“The Mayor’s Office shall make gifts available for inspection by the OIG as soon as practicable. The (municipal code) does not require the Mayor’s Office to make gifts available for unannounced inspections,” Pacione-Zayas wrote in response to the inquiry.

Eventually, OIG was granted access and conducted an inventory of the room’s contents. Johnson has 236 gifts registered under his name, including a 2023 U.S. National Soccer Team jersey and a personalized Mont Blanc pen.

Additionally, two items—a bottle of 1856 whiskey and a Superare “One of One” t-shirt—are listed as being stored in Room 507, believed to be Johnson’s private office.

The contents of the gift room came to light after OIG criticized the mayor’s office for obstructing its investigation. In June, Johnson’s staff refused to allow an undercover OIG investigator to view the gift log, instead instructing them to submit a FOIA request, which ultimately went unanswered past the required deadline.