Eddie Bernice Johnson's Dumb Scholarship Awards

Despite clear rules that applicants cannot be related to or connected in any way to the CBC Foundation, the eight-term Dallas representative awarded $25,000 to members of her family and of a top aide's.

by Jonathan Capeheart

Beware members of Congress in safe districts. More often than not, they end up wrapping themselves in the corrupting cloak of entitlement. My favorite, as you probably know, is Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.). If you didn't, just click here to get the quick debrief. But the gold in gall might have to go to eight-term Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) -- for now.

According to The Dallas Morning News, which broke the story, between 2005 and 2009, Johnson awarded scholarships totaling $25,000 to two of her grandchildren, two of her great-nephews and the two children of a top aide. The money came from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a nonprofit entity that operates separately from the Congressional Black Caucus but gives $10,000 a year to CBC members to hand out to eligible college applicants. And the rules are clear that said applicants cannot be related to or connected in any way to the foundation, its staff, sponsors or board of directors, or members of the CBC.

Get a load of this rich response from Johnson when asked last week about the scholarships by The Dallas Morning News:

Read the rest of this article at The Washington Post.