In Virginia, state law allows politicians to receive gifts of any value as long as they disclose them.
Democrat Tim Kaine, the state's former governor and current senator, took full advantage of the law by accepting $201,595 worth of gifts between 2006 and 2010. That puts Kaine second to only one politician when it came to taking swag. That honor goes to Gov. Bob McDonnell.
The current Republican governor has accepted $303,550 in legal gifts. What has McDonnell in potential trouble now are the gifts he reportedly didn't disclose.
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The Washington Post is investigating claims that the Virginia governor took illegal gifts, and also published a record of every legal gift he has accepted while in office. Here are some of the more extravagant things the Virginia governor has reportedly been given over the past few years. Remember, these are all perfectly legal as long as McDonnell disclosed them. (For his part, the governor declined to comment to the Post.)
Rolex watch
Value: $6,500
Disclosed: No
Unnamed sources tell The Washington Post that McDonnell received a Rolex from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., chief executive of dietary supplement manufacturer Star Scientific, two weeks before the governor met with a top state health official to sell him on the company's products. (Williams declined to comment to the Post.)
Wedding catering
Value: $15,000
Disclosed: No
The FBI is investigating charges that Williams paid for the catering at McDonnell's daughter's wedding, which took place at Virginia's historic Executive Mansion.
Bergdorf Goodman shopping spree
Value: $15,000
Disclosed: No
Williams also allegedly took McDonnell's wife, Maureen, on a New York shopping spree after she expressed her desire for an Oscar de la Renta dress before the gubernatorial inauguration.
Flight to Puerto Rico
Value: $25,000
Disclosed: Yes
Lawyer John G. Rocovich Jr. ponied up big bucks to send McDonnell to Puerto Rico for a Republican Governors Association event. Round-trip tickets between Richmond, Va., and San Juan, Puerto Rico, can currently be found on Expedia.com for less than $500.
Washington Redskins tickets
Value: $19,000
Disclosed: Yes
The Washington Redskins hooked McDonnell up with suite tickets to a game in 2012 — the spectacular rookie year of Robert Griffin III.
Night-vision monocular
Value: $4,028
Disclosed: Yes
A gift from Virginia-based ITT Defense & Info Solutions.
Flight to Notre Dame for a football game
Value: $10,037
Disclosed: Yes
Alexander B. McMurtrie Jr., an attorney and member of the governor's Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring, paid for McDonnell and his family to travel to their alma mater for a football game while McDonnell was serving as Virginia's attorney general.
Read a complete breakdown of McDonnell's gifts at The Washington Post.
