By Bill Hutchinson
Foreign diplomacy doesn’t always resolve world-class problems, but it sure does rake in the swag.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was given a half-million bucks worth of diamond and ruby jewelry by Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and received $58,000 worth of bling from Brunei.
The lavish gifts were among a treasure trove of keepsakes bestowed upon U.S. leaders in 2012, the State Department disclosed Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave Clinton a $560 bottle of cognac, while President Obama received an autographed basketball from Chinese President Xi Jiping and a 41-inch saber from Mongolia.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden got a bare-breasted female bust from Liberia.
The Constitution prohibits U.S. government employees from keeping presents worth more than $350. But officials at the U.S. General Services Administration said the gifts were accepted to avoid awkward moments.
The GSA said some of the presents were donated and others were sold to the public.