The super-sleuths at Big Government think that President Obama is trying to pull a fast one and steal a cool $1.4 million from the government. But, as is often the case with Breitbart and his minions, they have no idea what they're talking about.

Big Government contributor SusanAnne Hiller wants to know what has happened to the $1.4 million Obama won as part of his Nobel Peace Prize. The president said he'd donate the money to charity, but thus far there's been no indication that the money has been donated, and Hiller suspects Obama might be in violation of the 000-.html" title="blocked::http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/5/usc_sec_05_00007342000-.html">Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, which, as she points out, prohibits employees of the federal government from receiving gifts from a foreign government. Writes Hiller:

While I have seen many dissections of how this code should be interpreted, as well as its history, there has been silence on it from the White House. And, there have been no further inquiries as to what Obama will do or has done with the prize money. I think it is fair to follow up-even if the 60 days have not passed-because the money, according to US law, should have been immediately turned over.

There are two things to point out here.

First, the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act does not apply in this situation. The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire blog addressed this very issue, and explained that even though the Nobel Committee is appointed by the Norwegian parliament, they remain an independent entity. So it is impossible for Obama to break that particular law.

Second, even though the president has already promised to donate the money to charity, ethics lawyers who've studied the issue say that he would likely be able to keep the money if he wanted to. Once again, from Washington Wire:

Most government employees are prohibited from accepting more than a certain amount of “outside earned income” from moonlighting in another job. They are also prohibited from accepting “honorarium” for articles or speeches. But a prize is not “earned” income and a 1992 advisory opinion from the Office of Government Ethics says that it isn't an honorarium either.

Furthermore, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are not covered under that statute. “He is expressly exempt from all of these rules,” said Ken Gross, a lawyer who specializes in federal ethics and campaign laws and has worked for both Republicans and Democrats.

So sorry, Big Government, looks like case of the missing Nobel Prize money was closed before it was even opened. Better luck next time, Sherlocks.