Taking White House Artwork ‘Is Illegal’

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White House officials don’t know what happened to a bust of Abraham Lincoln spotted by reporters being removed from the West Wing on Thursday afternoon, as departing staffers were seen taking home mementos of their time working at America’s most famous address, reports The Washington Examiner.

“The moment was captured by C-Span, which showed a Marine guard opening the door as three people left the building, one carrying what appeared to be a bronze bust of the 16th president,” the Examiner reports. “With staffers spotted taking home framed certificates, photographs, and even what appeared to be a stuffed pheasant, it sparked immediate concerns that someone had gone too far in finding a keepsake.”

“People need to know that the items inside the White House are not giveaways, they’re not souvenirs you can take home. This is not an estate sale or Antiques Roadshow,” CNN’s Jim Acosta said on-air.

A Yahoo Finance editor posted a photo of Navarro leaving the White House with a large, framed photo of President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and other dignitaries.

Former associate director of the White House Office of Management and Budget under President Barack Obama, Kenneth Baer, cautions that removing the framed image for personal use is “illegal.”

“These photos belong to the American people, and go to the National Archives,” Baer noted.

The original photo of Navarro was taken by Eric Scott for Reuters and posted to Twitter by a Reuters editor:

Baer noted that it is possible Navarro paid the government for the photo and frame.

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