Is The 'X Factor' Bloodbath Over?
BlackVoices History Quest: Augusta, Georgia
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (pictured) says she will pay back the college scholarship money that she gave to her relatives from the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Foundation.
The Dallas Morning News, which broke the story, says Johnson (D-Texas) gave 23 scholarships, totaling $25,000, to two of her grandsons, two of her grandnephews, and to the son and daughter of a district aide since 2005.
The private money came from the CBC Foundation, which supposedly operates separately from the CBC, and represents the 42 black lawmakers in Congress. The foundation has clearly stated rules that scholarship applicants cannot be related to the foundation, staff, sponsors or members of the CBC.
At first, Johnson denied she broke the anti-nepotism rules, but a day later admitted her wrongdoing. She claimed she didn't know she was breaking any rules.
Johnson is taking a necessary first step to redemption by paying back the money. Now, she has to invite the Dallas Morning News or any other agency to scrutinize her office and accounts to convince her constituents that there are no other financial skeletons rattling around in her closet.
Such an admission may start to repair the trust between the lawmaker and her voters, because as far as I can see, she doesn't have a leg to stand on in this mess.
The scholarship money was designed to help disadvantaged students, and while I don't know them personally, I doubt the grandchildren of a U.S. Congress member are crying broke. At any rate, I'm sure there are some really needy kids in her Dallas district who could use the money.
The CBC Foundation is now conducting an internal investigation to determine whether other lawmakers have been dipping into the scholarship money.
Don't be surprised if this so-called investigation gives the 42 members of the CBC a clean bill of financial health as far as the scholarship fund is involved.
With the ethical problems of its highest-profile members, Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters, now under Congressional investigation, the last thing the CBC will do is add to its own miseries.
Comments: (13)
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By: EH' on 9/02/2010 3:09PM
Oh well, so what, ain't no big deal. I'm on welfare and don't pay ANY taxes. I get free healthcare for all 8 of my babies and what h and R block calls earned income credit when I file my taxes. The trick is to have babies then pretend you do not know who the father is. Then they give you somethin called section 8 housing. After you get all the free stuff just have your man move in. Everyone gets a free ride. The money is there for the taking. Now how do i get some some of that scholarship money so i can buy some more stuff?
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By: between2worlds on 9/02/2010 5:01PM
what's sad about this is that there are deserving kids who got passed by.
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By: Jewel on 9/02/2010 4:13PM
Don't act like you don't know. Folks that look like YOU get the most funding from social welfare programs than any other group of people in the United States. Instead of Section 8, you would call it "subsidized housing". Now take your wretched self back to the Drudge Report.
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By: Sedated on 9/02/2010 4:57PM
Hey, I'll pay it all back by Friday! Then maybe it will go away and I can go back to feeding at the public's expense.
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By: Jewel on 9/02/2010 5:46PM
Don't act like you don't know. Folks that look like YOU get the most funding from social welfare programs than any other group of people in the United States. Instead of Section 8, you would call it "subsidized housing". Now take your wretched self back to the Drudge Report.
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By: Angela on 9/03/2010 12:03AM
You're a damn lie, bigot! You can't clain EIC on your taxes while on welfare, you must have some kind of taxable income. 2ndly, you racist are a trip, whites are the biggest population so they recieve much more welfare than blacks, which is really a shame, since white have had 400 years to gain and aquire wealth, while most blacks weren't allowed to keep or gain wealth to pass down to their ancestors. 3rdly, you hide on BV with your racist stunts because the regular AOL board makes you use your real screen name and you racist can't hide, wait till the day when you're all exposed, then you'll tame your tongue. And lastly, it's a trip how most racist claim to be christian but breaks the biggest commandment of them all...Loving thy neighbor! Repent or burn, your choice!
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By: Godzilla on 9/03/2010 7:54PM
WAH WAH WAH! Whitey this and whitey that. When were you ever a slave? You people have more programs than anybody in this country that get you ahead. 2 trillion dollars in the last 40 years alone has been spent to help blacks. Why can every other race in this country come here, work hard and become successful and do not use racism as a crutch? Trust me when I say this, skin color has nothing to do with why whites are tired of you. Maybe you are smart enough to figure out my statement, but you won't even try. You will not try because you will just go right back into whining about slavery and how I'm a racist. You people and your same old tired pulling the race card crap just doesn't cut it anymore. NEXT!
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By: Chris on 9/03/2010 1:44AM
She's full of S#*t! You all know it! Be real and stop backing her cause she's black. She's a public offical, no excuses. This should't be swept under the rug. Let's keep digging and keep on this story until she resigns. Anybody can see that she is flat out lying. Paying the money back and just move on? No no no, that's not how it works. She's only paying the money back cause she got caught and it's on national television. She needs to step down immediately! Hmmmmm my god, where is the NAACP?!! Where are they? Why are they not asking, excuse me, demanding! for her to resign? Hello NAACP can you hear me? Rev Sharpton (joke!) I can't wait to sit and hear you defend Rep. Johson.
Rep.Johnson step down. You should be ashamed of yourself. You cannot be trusted.
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By: Huge_Bullbone on 9/05/2010 5:19PM
Hey folks....get real. This boils down to Eddie, Ed, and Eddie Bernice showing a corrupt heart or inability to say "NO" which in turn led to her unscrupulous and blatant disregard for the rules. All of which lead to the eddy [pun intended] she is in right about now. What really is [or ought to be] specified as a rightful punishment for theft-by-nepotism or stealing from the [probably extremely meager] CBC Scholarship Fund cookie jar? Hmmmmmmm... Let's check the Fund's constitution, by-laws, policies, and procedures for guidance in relation to punishment of members for knowingly and willfully violating said items. No such words of guidance exist? Typical political non-move. Looks like Uncle, oops, Aunt Eddie found a loophole! Her future cellmate will probably tell her: "If you have a man's name, you should think and ACT like a man. Be a thief". Maybe after having been called "Aunt Eddie" for years and years says it all or just MAYBE she is getting back at whom ever it was who gave her that name -- LOL. Put the $25K back, Eddie, with interest. Now turn around and bend over. Enough said.
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By: GREG on 9/05/2010 8:40PM
lets put her in jail for stealing the money and boot her to the curb.......
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