Financial disclosure records from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics for 2023 reveal that Vice President Kamala Harris was given a ticket by ESPN to the 2023 Celebration Bowl and received tickets from Beyoncé to attend a show on the Renissance Tour. The disclosure of gifts is customary for government officials.The Celebration Bowl tickets were valued at $1,890, while the Beyoncé tickets, received by the vice president from the artist herself, were worth $1,655.92.
As per the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, a gift is an item of monetary value that you receive without payment. Gifts encompass gratuities, favors, discounts, entertainment, hospitality, loans, forbearances, services, training, travel expenses, in-kind contributions, advanced payments, and reimbursements after the fact. The Committee assesses only the fair market value of the gift received, disregarding whether the giver paid the full price. The federal government and the House of Representatives emphasize public trust in office. Officials are expected to remain impartial, avoiding influence from gifts. Gift limitations stem from various sources like the Constitution, statutes, and House Rules, with exceptions provided.
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Vice President Kamala Harris posted on Instagram about attending the Renaissance Tour stop with her husband and second gentleman Doug Emhoff in August.
“To the one of one, the number one, the only one, @Beyonce, thank you for a fun date night.”
In December, Harris made a well-publicized trip to the Celebration Bowl after her alma mater Howard University was featured in the game after winning the MEAC Championship. They faced off against the Florida A&M Rattlers, who ultimately won the game and emerged victorious as the Celebration Bowl champions. Harris spoke with Howard alumnus Jay Walker and Flordia A&M alumna Tiffany Green about her HBCU experience during the ABC broadcast of the game in the second quarter. She spoke about the HBCU experience and the dualities of student life and student leadership.
“What you and I know is that You could play for the football team and be the head of the science club,” Harris said to Walker. “Right? I was on the debate team. I pledged a sorority. There were no false choices. And everything about being at an HBCU tells you you are supported, you are nurtured, and there are high expectations of you. Yes. And with every intention of giving you all the support you need to thrive.”
She also mentioned being initiated into the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and shared that she is still close with her line sisters to this day.
“I talk with students all the time about the fact that that sisterhood or, you know, if you join a fraternity, that brotherhood is, it’s a lifetime. I initiated with 37 other young women. There were 38 of us. We are very close to this day, these many decades later. And it’s an enduring sisterhood. It includes not only those that you join with, but those you see literally around the world.”
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