Re: [CR](CR) Jimmy Carter

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

From: <FedMaritime@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 14:42:54 EST
Subject: Re: [CR](CR) Jimmy Carter
To: brianbaylis@juno.com, renault68@hotmail.com
cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

In a message dated 1/22/2004 11:16:14 AM Pacific Standard Time, brianbaylis@juno.com writes: Richard,

You are exactly correct. Sitting Presidents have restrictions on accepting gifts. Remember the bru-ha-ha about President Nixon keeping the dog? Don't remember the dogs' name; but I do remember the ruckus.

Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA Sorry Brian,

While you are the master of framebuilding and painting Presidential gifting is a different story. While there are limitations on acceptance of gifts by Presidents the rules are, shall we say, elastic. While most federal employees must report anything of value they receive as a gift or gratuity which exceeds $20.00 and make a commensurate payment, the White House seems to have a bit more flexibility. I always understood, perhaps erroneously, that the gifts were the property of the "Office of the President" and not the individual. All gifts had to be reported with a 'value' stated. If the recipient wished to keep the gift, then the General Accounting Office (GAO) had to be compensated. Most gifts end up in the National Archives, other federal exhibits, or are donated to private charities. The Clinton's for example ended up ponying up about $90,000.00 and keeping about $150,000.00 in gifts (depending upon your source, bias and evaluation), which was about the same as George H. and Barbara Bush kept when they left. (No political content intended). Of course all of the above is waaay oversimplified as it probably takes up 200 pages in the Code of Federal Regulations! Jimmy Carter should have taken Mario up on the offer: he'd have two really cool bikes! Thanks to Joe Bell for giving us the inside scoop on the Rivendell gift to former President Carter. By the way, my Rivendell A/R looks exactly like Mr. Carter's!

(BTW - The dogs name was Checkers, I musta read about it, I'm way too young to have been there)

Regards,

Carlo Carr
New Orleans