Obama and the Yankees

[ivflight]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/26/AR2010042604106.html

What does this cost and who pays for this kind of event?

How much is that jersey worth and does Obama get to keep it?

[Zippyjuan]

Since that took place at the White House, the Yankee organization (or some sponsor) would have picked up the tab for the trip. Not sure about gifts like that but there are some limits on what gifts officials can keep when they leave office. They are not allowed to keep anything valued at over $335 when it comes from a foreign official. The jersey is certainly to be valued at less than that so he can probably keep it if he wants.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2008/December/As-US-Officials-Leave-Office--Lavish-Foreign-Gifts-Stay-Behind.html

As US Officials Leave Office, Lavish Foreign Gifts Stay Behind
December 24, 2008 08:53 AM (Click for citation)
Citation
Coakley, Emily. "As US Officials Leave Office, Lavish Foreign Gifts Stay Behind." findingDulcinea. December 24, 2008. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2008/December/As-US-Officials-Leave-Office--Lavish-Foreign-Gifts-Stay-Behind.html
Closeby Emily Coakley
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has received expensive items from heads of state during her tenure, but federal law says they won’t leave office when she does.Rice Can’t Keep Expensive Jewelry


ShareJewels from the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Jordan given to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2007 totaled more than $300,000, the Associated Press reported.

They include an emerald and diamond set of bracelet, earrings, and necklace worth an estimated $147,000 from King Abdullah II of Jordan. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah gave her a similar set, but of rubies and diamonds, AP said.

But Rice, like man y U.S. officials, has learned that when it comes to gifts from foreign heads of state, you can’t take it with you. That’s because federal rules say that all gifts from a foreign government that are worth more than $335 are the U.S. government’s property, and must be turned over to the General Services Administration, which has extensive rules on the subject. “Employees” include the president, members of Congress, and even federal workers’ spouses.

When an employee turns over a gift, the agency he or she works for can “determines if it will keep the gift or decoration for official use,” GSA says. If the agency decides not to keep an item, the employee can buy it from the GSA. Gifts that are not bought by the employee or otherwise destroyed could eventually be offered for public sale. In fact, the agency maintains an auction site for what they call “surplus property.”

[Pizzo]

Since that took place at the White House, the Yankee organization (or some sponsor) would have picked up the tab for the trip. Not sure about gifts like that but there are some limits on what gifts officials can keep when they leave office. They are not allowed to keep anything valued at over $335 when it comes from a foreign official. The jersey is certainly to be valued at less than that so he can probably keep it if he wants.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2008/December/As-US-Officials-Leave-Office--Lavish-Foreign-Gifts-Stay-Behind.html

I think the jersey was an autographed team jersey, and would also be one of a kind as it was not any specific players jersey. Probably worth well over the $335 mark.

[Zippyjuan]

I guess it would depend on if you priced it at the retail value of the jersey or the potential collector's value of it having all the signatures on it. The rules I found were for gifts by foreign dignatiries- maybe they are different for things like this. Presidents are constantly being presented with gifts- they probably don't keep most of them.

[BlackTerrel]

Not sure how they'd determine value on something like this and it's not top of my priorities.

But yeah my guess is if you put that thing on ebay it's worth a lot more than $335.