It's been the target of criticism from Chicago's inspector general, and it was even brought up when Mayor Johnson testified on Capitol Hill last week. Now, we're getting our first look inside the City Hall room where the mayor's office keeps gifts that are given to the mayor and the city as a whole.
Chicago's deputy mayor for infrastructure Lori Lypson gave WBBM political editor Craig Dellimore and other journalists a tour inside the "gift closet" where the administration stores things given to the city by the high-and-mighty as well as everyday people."
There are a couple of things that are interesting that people gave," she said as she showed off the room filled with shelves holding hats, shirts and sports memorabilia as well as more valuable items. There's an online log, but Lypson says Chicagoans may be able to see all that stuff for themselves soon.
"Next month, we're gonna open it up to the public," Lypson said. "People could sign up for an appointment, they'll have 15 minutes to view ... in each quarter we'll open it up for the public, and then we'll also do a video and post it to the website."
The push to open the room comes after Inspector General Deborah Witzburg raised questions about how -- and how well -- those gifts are catalogued. She also noted that investigators from her office were denied access to the room ... which Mayor Johnson disputes. Lypson says most of the gifts in that closet will be distributed -- eventually.
"Many of the hats and T-shirts will go to, for example, Pacific Garden homeless mission," she said. "We give the cups away, probably to a food kitchen. Some of the books will go to Chicago Public libraries or schools (Mayor Johnson) goes to."
The reporting about the mayor's "gift closet" even reached Capitol Hill, where Republican lawmakers last week tried to question Johnson during a hearing focusing on sanctuary cities.