State Department: Queen Of Brunei Gave Michelle Obama More Than $70G Worth Of Jewelry In 2013

CBS News ^ | November 12, 2014

[Zakeet]

The State Department reported Tuesday that the queen of Brunei gave Mrs. Obama jewelry worth $71,468 in 2013. The flower-shaped white gold earrings, ring and necklace were studded with yellow sapphires and diamonds, according to the department’s annual accounting of gifts published in the Federal Register. That’s almost seven times more valuable than the most expensive gift received by President Barack Obama, a glass amber-colored sculpture of a falcon on a branch worth $10,400 from Qatar’s ambassador to the U.S.

Not that the president fared poorly. He also received a large Azerbaijani rug with red, white and blue geometric designs worth $6,560 from the ambassador of Azerbaijan; a silver platter engraved with major world cities, their global positioning coordinates and distance from Qatar from that country’s emir, valued at $6,500; a full felt-mounted zebra skin, a painting and sculpture worth $4,000 from the president of Tanzania; and a $4,000 brown upholstered chair from the prime minister of Singapore, according to the records.

[Politicalkiddo]

Spread the wealth, Mooch.

[Reddy]

The phrase, “lipstick on a pig” comes to mind.

[eggman]

Is that Arabic characters on that necklace? Something like “I’m with stupid”.

[maggief]

Michelle Obama: ‘It Can Be Hard’ Living In The White House, Being Married To The President

[Ann Archy]

A ZEBRA SKIN??? Where’s PETA??? Oh, right....Obama’s a DEMOCRAT....Nevermind.

[Ann Archy]

That’s a piece of crappy JUNK jewelry.

[Ann Archy]

Didn’t the Sulton of Brunei HOLD a YOUNF GIRL for WEEKS....i.e. KIDNAPPING?? Pretty sure I saw her on TV last year.

[catfish1957]

Gifts are reported and turned in. While they may be given personally, they are actually given to the office. They are not personal gifts. . .not supposed to be anyway. . .

Good point. I hope someone makes note on this and finds out later further whether these "were" turned in or kept. And if so, were they included on their 1040 form at some point.

This might be important if the Wookie tries to make a senate run.

[Darnright]

Don’t you just love those man hands? All the sparklies in the world can’t make that image attractive.

[Vaduz]

Now she has something to go with her new shower curtain.

[Brother Cracker]

[Ann Archy]

ANOTHER piece of crappy junk jewelry.

[EDINVA]

Not gonna give CBS a hit, but if memory serves, these are gifts to the OFFICE/position held, and belong to the US Government; they can’t take with them? Is that in the article?

[Graybeard58]

Funny, how the media took pics of Sarah P. from every side and angle and NEVER got a bad shot. The woman is just photogenic

You're right, I've never seen a bad picture of Sarah Palin. The woman is simply gorgeous.

[Graybeard58]

That’s an exceptionally bad pic of aunt Esther.

[Obama_Is_Sabotaging_America]

Is that Photoshopped? That necklace looks like a tangled mess. How embarrassing. Oh wait.. LOL

[piroque]

Haven’t presidents traditionally donated such gifts to the Smithsonian?

Not sure but I think there is a law stating that all such gifts are property of the federal government. Seems we were taught that in high school civics ,back in the good old days.

[maine-iac7]

French fries?