A $14,000 shotgun, a $2,700 mountain bike and five fishing rods were among $26,346 in gifts accepted by President Bush last year, according to a financial-disclosure form that also listed millions of dollars in assets in stable U.S. Treasury notes and certificates of deposit.
Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, listed 10 gifts, including a $1,600 painting, a $400 hand-tooled fly-tying set in a carved wooden box, and a dozen bottles of wine valued at $699. Cheney also gave a gift to Bush, a $595 desk clock.
There is no limit on the size of gifts a president can receive from a U.S. citizen, but federal law requires him to declare them if they are valued at $285 or more, White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said.
The financial forms offered a glimpse into the president and vice president's wealth. But because federal ethics law allows them to list investments in wide ranges rather than precise numbers, it is difficult to discern whether the two are wealthier than they were a year ago.
Bush, 58, and his wife, Laura, reported owning financial assets and property in 2004 valued between $7.8 million and $18.1 million. The first family last year reported assets valued between $8.8 million and $21.9 million.
The Cheneys' assets last year ranged between $16.6 million and $75.5 million, including cash, investments, deferred compensation from Halliburton, stock options and salaries. Cheney, 64, and his wife last year reported assets between $19 million and $86 million.
By The Associated Press and Bloomberg News
Copyright Seattle Times
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