The Bill Clinton family is no stranger to scandals. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, have often found themselves in the spotlight for many reasons. But one scandal the public never truly forgot was the time they took nearly $200,000 worth of furniture from the White House.

They’re already wealthy. So why take furniture out instead of buying new ones? Surely, there’s a logical reason behind this? Well, almost. Back in 2001, Bill Clinton was just exiting office. It was then that news surfaced in the tabloids about his wife moving out furniture that technically belonged to the White House residence.

 

It wasn’t just furniture that the Clintons moved out. According to reports, they also moved out expensive glassware from China, followed by artwork. Official reports confirmed the value of these items at $190,000.

The fancy china, artwork, and furniture were reportedly gifts. The 42nd President of the USA was given these things during his final year in the office.

Gift-giving is usually fine. But rules are different when you’re the sitting president. The President is reportedly allowed to receive gifts, either from American citizens, foreign delegates, or other international sources.

When it comes to keeping international gifts, the President is allowed to keep them if the amount is under a certain threshold. If it’s not, they have to purchase it officially from the General Services Administration.

No such rule applies when it comes to receiving gifts from within the U.S. However, they are required to disclose the gift that’s valued over $525 if it’s given by a U.S. citizen. There are similar rules in place for those working as government employees in the White House.

Speaking of gifts, there were reports of the Clintons being “forced” by the government to return certain items. These were the gifts they allegedly “stole” when leaving the White House. However, a 2016 article by Snopes clarified the truth.

Apparently, the Clintons did not steal anything. The scandal began when the Clintons reportedly had a dispute over the gifts. They were both questioned about the gifts. Were they given personally to the Clintons or as a courtesy to the U.S.?

The couple ended up facing a significant backlash over allegedly taking gifts from the White House. Amid the heat, it was Bill who decided to break his silence on the matter. A 2001 ABC News report shared President Clinton’s announcement to make amends.

The former president later made an announcement to set things right. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton reportedly reimbursed the government, covering the furniture and gifts they had kept when they left the White House. For the furniture, they wrote a check for $86,000.

That’s not all. They also agreed to return gifts worth $28,000 that legally belonged to the White House. In total, the items involved were valued at about $114,000. This occurred when Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, formally left office in 2001.

The Clinton family has recently been in the spotlight for other matters. The couple was recently involved in a deposition related to their alleged connection to the late Jeffrey Epstein.