Every year, an organization called the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation gives members of the Congressional Black Caucus $10,000 to distribute in college scholarships to individuals of their choosing. The nonprofit foundation is technically separate from the Congressional Black Caucus itself, and the money for the scholarships comes from private corporate donations, rather than from taxpayers.
But the foundation and the caucus, which is made up exclusively of Democrats, are closely tied, with the foundation having been formed by the caucus. Now, unfortunately, at least two members of the Congressional Black Caucus have been found to be giving the scholarships to family members and associates.
In Georgia, Democrat Rep. Sanford Bishop gave scholarships to his stepdaughter, his niece and the future wife of one of his aides. And in Texas, Democrat Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson gave the money to relatives and to the children of an aide.
The foundation forbids the caucus to give the scholarships to family, but Bishop said the rules were not in force when he gave the money to relatives.
Doesn't that strike you as a flimsy excuse? Could anyone really think it appropriate to grant college scholarships - created by private donations - to his own family members?
Bishop and Johnson both say they will repay the money - now that word of the improperly directed scholarships has gotten out.
But if some of those we elect to represent us in Congress behave in ethically questionable ways even with relatively small amounts of money from private donors, is it not troubling to know they are also entrusted with the duty to spend literally trillions of our tax dollars? Does that make you feel your taxes are apt to be spent wisely?