CBC Member Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson Faces Ethics Woes for Awarding Scholarships to 4 Relatives

Another Congressional Black Caucus member, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX, faces ethics woes over awarding CBC Foundation scholarships to four relatives and top aide's two children.

Ethics woes has hit another member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) has awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships to four relatives and a top aide's two children since 2005, using foundation funds set aside for black lawmakers' causes, according to the Dallas Morning News. Er, I thought those recipients would be disqualified from such scholarships because of the CBC Foundation's anti-nepotism rules. All of the awards are a clear violation of a foundation requirement that scholarship winners live or study in a caucus member's district.

Johnson, a Democrat, denied any favoritism when asked about the scholarships last week. Two days later, she acknowledged in a statement released by her office that she had violated the rules but said she had done so "unknowingly" and would work with the foundation to "rectify the financial situation."

Initially, she said, "I recognized the names when I saw them. And I knew that they had a need just like any other kid that would apply for one." Had there been more "very worthy applicants in my district," she added, "then I probably wouldn't have given it" to the relatives. Source

If you ask me what Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is accused of doing pales in comparison to what Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), with 13 ethics violations and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson have allegedly done. Some members of the CBC who faced ethics violations scream racist witch hunt, but no-one told Rep. Johnson to award scholarships to her relatives and the children of her aide.