Eddie Bernice Johnson Steered Money to Relatives

A longtime Texas congresswoman pledged to return more than $20,000 in donated funds meant for needy students after disclosures that she gave the scholarships to her relatives and those of her staff.

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Democrat whose district represents a swath of central and southern Dallas, said late Monday that she would return the money by week’s end to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which runs the scholarship program.

However, she didn’t specify whether the reimbursement will come out of her own pocket or from the students. “While I am not ashamed of helping, I did not intentionally mean to violate any rules in the process,” she said in statement. Ms. Johnson didn’t return repeated phone calls.

Read more: (Ana Campoy, “Lawmaker Steered Money to Relatives,” The Wall Street Journal, 09/01/10)