Faces of Corruption: Part one in a series.

I'm going to start a recurring series here at RIT. I will call it Faces of Corruption. It will focus on politicians who use their position of power illegitimately. I will not pull punches. Republican as well as Democrat will get equal treatment.

Today's Guest of Dishonor is Eddie Bernice Johnson (D TX-30).



Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are allowed to direct scholarships to deserving students within their district. There are rules against directing these scholarships outside of the district and to individuals who are related to the congressperson or their staffers. Personally I see this as a means to buy votes and I think the practice is reprehensible and unethical. But even within this unethical framework, Congresswoman Johnson still can't even follow the rules. She has directed 15 of these scholarships to her grandchildren and to children of her staff. What is worse, none of these kids are in her district. EVEN WORSE, she insists that had there been more deserving kids in her district she would not have done so. So are the residents of her district that stupid that they don't deserve scholarships? Is that what she is saying? That her district only turns out mental defectives that don't deserve to go to college?

If the residents re-elect her when she shows that much contempt for her own constituents, maybe she has a point.

UPDATE:

The Dallas Morning News is now reporting that the number of scholarships she has directed to friends and relatives now stands at 23.