EDITORAL: Eddie Bernice Johnson Hands the House Another Ethics Problem

U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, slipped thousands of dollars in Congressional Black Caucus Foundation scholarship funds to her grandchildren, grandnephews and the children of an aide. That means she is: (a) clueless, (b) resting the ethical part of her brain until she’s ready to use it, (c) bordering on criminal actions or (d) all of the above.

You almost have to pick (b), the one about ethics gone dormant. Or you could believe what she says (“I did not intentionally mean to violate any rules”), which means maybe you’d choose (a). But it’s hard to fathom that a nine-term congressional representative is that clueless.

To take her at her word, you have to believe she really thinks it’s OK for a member of Congress to hand money from charitable donations (given largely by corporations that then take tax breaks in exchange for their giving) and shuffle it to her relatives and employees. She acknowledged that she did just that, but the only thing she said about it is that she didn’t “intentionally mean to” break any rules.

Read more: (Editorial, “Johnson Hands the House Another Ethics Problem,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 09/01/10)