Mike Pompeo says he doesn't know what happened to the missing $5,800 bottle of whiskey gifted by Japan
U.S. government officials are generally banned from receiving gifts from foreign governments under the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution, and any large or costly gift becomes the property of the U.S. government. The State Department said Thursday that it has "an ongoing inquiry" into a missing bottle of whiskey the government of Japan gave then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in June 2019. The bottle of whiskey, valued at $5,800, is marked "disposition unknown" in an annual report on foreign gifts in the Federal Register, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Pompeo, through his lawyer, suggested he didn't drink it — or, if you want to misread the statement another way, he drank too much of it. Pompeo has "no recollection of receiving the bottle of whiskey and does not have any knowledge of what happened to it," said his lawyer, William Burck.
Pompeo faced criticism as secretary of state for hosting regular lavish taxpayer-funded parties and allegedly making government employees run personal errands for him and his wife. But other official foreign gifts to Pompeo, including a silver falcon statue from Saudi Arabia, "are marked as being transferred to the State Department's National Museum of American Diplomacy or elsewhere in the government," the Journal reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
'Shale is crucial to the US economy'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - October 31, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - cosplayer-in-chief, one more gaffe for the road, and more
By The Week US Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ballot drop boxes set on fire in Oregon, Washington
Speed Read Hundreds of submitted ballots were destroyed in Vancouver, Washington
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel votes to ban UN agency for Palestinians
Speed Read UNRWA provides food, medical care and other humanitarian assistance to Palestine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Elon Musk is in regular contact with Putin, WSJ says
Speed Read The Tesla founder has been increasingly involved in Donald Trump's presidential campaign
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published