Filed under: News, Politics, Race and Civil Rights
Designed as a way for college youth to learn about Congress, a scholarship sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is undergoing an internal audit because Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson gave scholarship money to her relatives and the children of her staff.
Johnson, a veteran Democratic lawmaker from Texas, dipped in to the funds and gave 11 scholarships each year between 2005 and 2008. Each of those years, three or four winners were grandsons and grandnephews of Johnson or the children of her Dallas District Director Rod Givens.
Giving the scholarships to relatives violated the rules of the CBC Foundation, according to CBC Foundation Chair Rep. Donald Payne (pictured), a Democrat from New Jersey.
Payne said he wants each of the 42 black lawmakers who are members of the CBC to review how it distributed its scholarship funds "to ensure the highest degree of transparency, integrity and disclosure."
Payne added that "self-dealing or nepotism" won't be allowed in the handing out of the scholarships.
I would like to know whether Johnson knew she was breaking CBC rules when she handed out the money to her grand kids and grandnephews.
Even though no public money funds the program, Johnson should know that financial gifts to her relatives should be reserved for Christmas cards and birthdays - not a program designed to help deserving constituents.
Let's see what the internal CBC Foundation audit turns up, but I, for one, am not hopeful.
Does anyone really expect that Johnson is the only CBC member to abuse her office in this way?