Not so sure about the no rules broken thing

Federal employees are not allowed to accept large gifts. Last time I looked, Clearance was being paid by federal dollars. He is a federal employee. I mean he can pretend those rules don't apply to him.

"Social Invitations from Persons Other than Prohibited Sources: An employee may accept unsolicited food, refreshments and entertainment, not including travel and lodging, for the employee and other guest, such as spouse, at a social event attended by several people where the invitation is from someone who is not a prohibited source, no fee is charged to anyone in attendance, and, if the sponsor of the event or person offering the invitation is not a person, the employee receives a written determination from the agency designee that his or her attendance will not cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the employee’s integrity or impartiality.". https://www.justice.gov/jmd/gifts-and-entertainment#:~:text=Outside%20Sources%2C%20Exceptions)-,Gifts%20Between%20Employees,the%20employee%20is%20a%20subordinate.