Has anyone given YOU a Jaguar lately?

[babylonsister]

And how ethical was it of Powell to keep it?
Come to think of it, when was the last time a Prince came knocking at your door?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/washington/29saudi.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&hp&oref=slogin

snip//

A few nights after he resigned his post as secretary of state two years ago, Colin L. Powell answered a ring at his front door. Standing outside was Prince Bandar, then Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, with a 1995 Jaguar. Mr. Powell’s wife, Alma, had once mentioned that she missed their 1995 Jaguar, which she and her husband had traded in. Prince Bandar had filed that information away, and presented the Powells that night with an identical, 10-year-old model. The Powells kept the car — a gift that the State Department said was legal — but recently traded it away.

more...

[Cooley Hurd]

1. I'd be interested to find out if they declared it on their taxes...

[lyonn]

2. The list gets longer. How corrupt is the repub party?

Stay tuned.

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. If he was a private citizen it was perfectly ethical for him to keep it.

And yes, i would bet he declared it on his taxes.

[MissWaverly]

4. I thought that even the astronauts could not accept gifts

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. If they are employed as Astronauts and paid as employees of the government...

then yes, they would be prohibited from receiving gifts also.

The article quoted in the OP indicates Powell was no longer with the government, even though it was only a few days. As a private citizen, there is nothing keeping you from receiving gifts of ANY size. You would just have to report them to the IRS.

[MissWaverly]

7. Okay, thanks for the update

[w4rma]

6. You know he did something for the Saudis to "earn" that after-the-fact bribe.

That's what these "gifts" boil down to. I wonder why it's rarely mentioned.