So. We have a legislator named Eddie Bernice Johnson (D, TX-30), member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and thus one of the people whose responsibility it is to hand out partial college scholarships to worthy recipients. A worthy project, to be sure: good policy, good politics, good publicity. There is – sensibly – a non-nepotism rule; and there is – also sensibly – a rule that this money is to be given to students in your district. But there is apparently no oversight at all over who gets the money, which is why Rep. Johnson was able to use this money gave 15 scholarships to six ineligible kids – four grandchildren and two kids of an aide – and none of them live in the district. Important point, there: even if grandchildren and children of aides don’t count under the anti-nepotism rule (an argument which the CBC itself rejects), the point of the whole thing is to foster local education. Rep. Johnson’s defense? She’s a nine-term Congresswoman who somehow missed the fact that she wasn’t supposed to give CBC scholarships to out-of-district family members.
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.
TX-30 is a majority-minority district incorporating large parts of the African-American and Latino sections of Dallas, TX. That Rep. Johnson’s ‘defense’ rests on her inability to find six students from that area who were more qualified for scholarship money than her own grandchildren speaks ill of either her ability to serve her district, or else of her skill in coming up with a solid, believable lie. Either way, there are still some Texas kids out there who could have used this money, and were denied it.
Please remember this when Rep. Johnson is defended – and she will be. They’ll talk about her relative lack of personal wealth; they’ll talk about how she at least didn’t actually steal the money; they’ll talk about the relatively small amounts involved; they’ll talk about the need of those kids for those scholarships; and they’ll undoubtedly call people racists for even broaching the subject of yet another member of the CBC who’s involved in shenanigans. What they won’t do is admit that Rep. Johnson has no right to be defended. She was given money dedicated to bettering the lives of her constituents. She instead used it to better the lives of her family and subordinates.
Was that why she helped create the district in the first place?
Moe Lane
PS: We have a candidate in that district, actually: Rev. Stephen Broden. He was at Glenn Beck’s Restoring Honor Rally, in fact – and if that name isn’t an omen, then I don’t know what is.
Crossposted to Moe Lane.
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Caleb Howe
The Democrat nose
banzaibob (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 9:04AM EST (link)grows and grows. Kinda looks like the nose of an aligator living in a “Swamp” that should have been drained.
Prefiero morir de pie que vivir de rodillas
It’s better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees!
Emiliano Zapata
Right
chabsentia Tuesday, August 31st at 4:00PM EST (link)I read the whole article elsewhere which reports that Johnson will win handly in November. People deserve the Government they get.
Conservative Black Caucus
patriot601 (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 9:16AM EST (link)The CBC is in the process of cleaning itself out. Soon when reps like Allen West move into office there won’t be many libs left in the group formerly known as the Congressional Black Caucus but will hereby be known as the Conservative Black Caucus keeping the same acronym. But it was probably one of those racist tea partiers or maybe Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin or Mark Levin who is behind all of this because we all know they have the real power unlike the president, Pelosi, Reid and Frank who can raise taxes, steal liberty and freedom and start wars.
No, it won't be Conservative Black Caucus regardless
Ann_W (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 10:05AM EST (link)We had a great representative from our district, I think his name was Gary Franks. He was a black conservative. He tried to join the Congressional Black Caucus. I’m 99% sure they didn’t let him join.
“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
— Milton Friedman
The War on Poverty– forty-six years and counting!
No one read her the rules. nt
Tbone (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 9:47AM EST (link)Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
Is that the one where Rule # 1 is "Don't get caught" ? [nt]
acat (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 9:54AM EST (link)——
“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost”. –Tolkein
Stephen Broden at the Dallas Freedom Rally - August 9th
izoneguy (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 10:08AM EST (link)The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
Eddie Bernice Johnson's challenger Stephen Broden responds to scholarship travesty
izoneguy (Diary) Tuesday, August 31st at 7:47PM EST (link)Eddie Bernice Johnson’s challenger Stephen Broden responds to scholarship travesty. Stephen Broden talks with Mark Davis from WBAP radio:
http://www.wbap.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp?SPID=8659&ID=202921
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
"I recognized the names when I saw them"
Scope (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 10:08AM EST (link)She “recognized” the names of her grandchildren, when she saw them, after she pulled out her Grandparents photo album, and checked the names on the back of the pictures. Actually, she pulled out that photo album, and inserted the names on the list, and then called them to tell them what their birthday present was to be.
Soon there won’t be a CBC, they will all be either expelled, voted out, or sitting their butts in the pokey. Wishful thinking, I know. I guess I’m just a racist, because I believe ethics should be colorblind.
ps- Didn't Maxine Waters already say
Scope (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 10:13AM EST (link)that it is a vast right wing, whitey conspiracy because too many blacks are being called out for ethics violations. I suspect they will band together, and file a class action lawsuit against the ethics committee for racial profiling.
Moe is obviously racist for even bringing this up.
throwback59 Monday, August 30th at 3:30PM EST (link)Holding everyone to the same standards, what is more racist than that?
Rev. Stephen Broden
Money Monday, August 30th at 10:25AM EST (link)is a true contender. He spoke at the Republican State Convention in Texas and stole the show. He was equally impressive in small groups and one-on-one. He is a true conservative, who spoke passionately about the limited role of the federal government and strong national defense, but expressed disagreement with the TEA party for not addressing social issues, particularly abortion. Most importantly, HE CAN WIN. He is in a predominantly Democrat district, but in a wave year for Republicans, a candidate like Rev. Broden should be able to beat one of the worst representatives in Congress.
Please consider giving him some support.
“Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject, so you know you are getting the best possible information.” — Michael Scott
Read some of the comments about EBJ's nepotism
izoneguy (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 11:10AM EST (link)http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/082910dntexcongress.2c049bb.html
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
We're working feverishly
cari Monday, August 30th at 11:11AM EST (link)on the Broden campaign here in Dallas, most of us inexperienced first-timers and tea partiers. We could use some help!
This story is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Eddie Bernice Johnson!
Check out this 1996 article in the Dallas Observer by Ann Zimmerman that describes in detail how horribly she treated her campaign staff after just four years in office. It’s been 18 years now and it’s time for her to go! She the queen of everything that’s wrong with our “ruling class”!
http://www.dallasobserver.com/1996-10-31/news/u-s-reprehensible/1/
This will gain no traction
sponge Monday, August 30th at 1:09PM EST (link)Mainly because the money that she stole and gave to her family and friends was donations from private businesses and not tax dollars. Not that I believe the MFM (h.t. Ace) would report it regardless, they will just dismiss it as a moment of non-clarity and sweep it under the carpet.
In any other election year
indyjohn Monday, August 30th at 4:30PM EST (link)I would be inclined to agree. However, given the voter dissatisfaction with politicians in general, and with dishonest Dems in particular, Ms. E.B. ‘I’m entitiled to steal because I’m a black woman’ Johnson is going to have a difficult time extracting her (an unmentionable mommy part) from the ringer this time. Include the growing perception, thanks to Reps Jefferson, Rangel, and Waters, that the CBC is populated with self-serving, pious frauds – and I believe that Ms Johnson had better start thinking about cutting back on campaign expenditures, so that she will have more money on which to retire.
But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.
Edmund Burke
Donate to EBJ's Republican Opponent - Broden
Mark Brown (Diary) Monday, August 30th at 10:41PM EST (link)Consider donating something to Stephen Broden.
http://www.brodenforcongress.com/donate.asp
I live in EBJ’s district, which is currently about 1/3 white, 1/3 black, and 1/3 Hispanic. Stephen Broden is the best candidate Republicans have ever had in this district. Listen to his speeches, and you will hear a man in love with the constitution and knowledgeable about the devastating effects on liberalism on Americans, especially minority groups.
Mark C. Brown
Chairman, Texas Young Republican Federation
www.texasyoungrepublicanfederation.com
The devil didn't make her do it
gumbeaux Tuesday, August 31st at 6:30AM EST (link)Next thing you know, she will be crying and saying that Bush made her do it. Gotta take the Maxine Waters approach if you are going to be successful…..AT LYING!
Why is she still there?
tlhanger Tuesday, August 31st at 10:17AM EST (link)Seems like a clear reason to fire her.
Terry L Hanger