i say we pawn it all.
politico: Roughly a dozen White House staffers traveling with the U.S. delegation each received an alligator-skin briefcase from the Saudi royal family, according to sources involved. Inside, they found an array of expensive jewels, including rings, necklaces, gemstones and watches.
The surprised staff members didn't need an appraiser to tell them the jewelry-stuffed briefcases far exceeded the $335 limit on gifts federal employees are allowed to accept.
"You can look at it and tell," a State Department official said, noting the large number of items inside the briefcases.
The White House aides who received the gifts promptly passed them off to State, said White House spokesman Ben LaBolt.
"The gifts were immediately handed over to State Department officials," LaBolt said. "Under federal law, they are treated as gifts to the United States, not the individuals." ...
Refusing the items is not an option, according to the State Department official, if it might cause embarrassment to the Saudis. One option would be for recipients to purchase the gifts at the government's appraised cost. Another would be for staff to use gifts that go over the limit in some official capacity - to decorate the office or display in a lobby.
But with gemstones, rings, necklaces and watches, that could be tricky.
"Legally," the State official said, "I don't think we could find a reason to use it as official use."
