Democrat Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson Requested Scholarship Money Be Sent Directly To Family Members

Texasgopvote.com:

Texas Democratic Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (CD-30) answered questions on Anderson Cooper's AC360 Thursday night regarding the thousands of dollars in Congressional Black Caucus scholarships she had awarded to her relatives. Giving the scholarships to her relatives violated both the anti-nepotism rule and the rule stating that the recipients of the scholarships must live in a district of a Congressional Black Caucus member, which none of the relatives awarded scholarships did.


Rep E. B. Johnson repeatedly claims, "I haven't seen those rules." But how could she have been the chair of the foundation in 2002 and not seen the rules? Another excuse that has become popular for her to use is: had there been more "very worthy applicants in my district" then "I probably wouldn’t have given it" to the relatives. Yet, there are "very worthy" students in her district that applied for the scholarship and were rejected that are starting to speak out.

Clearly this is Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and the Tea Party's fault.

Democrat Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Redirected Scholarships To Relatives, Aide's Children

FOXNews.com:

Relatives of Texas Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and a top aide reportedly won scholarship funds from a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation program in violation of the group's rules.

The Dallas Morning News reported Monday that Johnson awarded nine to 11 scholarships per year from 2005 to 2008, which are the years the Morning News had available for review, and in each year, three or four winners were related to Johnson or her district director, Rod Givens. 

Johnson, an influential Democratic member of Congress and former Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman, told the newspaper that she "unknowingly" violated nepotism rules when she gave two grandsons, two great-nephews and her district director's two children scholarship money.

"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," she told the newspaper, adding that had had there been "very worthy applicants in my district ... then I probably wouldn't have given it" to the relatives. 

She released a statement Monday evening pledging to reimburse the money and establish a "non-biased third party objective review committee" to handle awarding future scholarships.

Clearly this is the evil Tea Party's fault, but is it just a coincidence that the most significant Democrats to get in trouble lately have all been black?