Eddie Bernice Johnson: 'I Broke No Rules' in Scholarship Flap

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson said Monday that she should have been more diligent in overseeing the allocation of scholarship money that ultimately went to her relatives and the children of an aide. But she refused to apologize or acknowledge that she did anything wrong.

“I haven’t made a judgment,” Johnson told The Dallas Morning News Editorial Board when asked whether what she did was wrong. “When this is over, it will be clear that I broke no rules.”

The Dallas Morning News has reported that Johnson awarded at least 23 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation scholarships to her relatives and to children of a top aide — a violation of the foundation’s anti-nepotism and residency rules.

Johnson said repeatedly in the editorial board session that she has taken responsibility for the mistake and has repaid the foundation $31,000 from her personal trust fund.

“Perhaps I should have been more diligent, that’s why I took full responsibility,” Johnson said. “My constituents know me. I know that they know my work and they know my results.”

Johnson also said she was victimized by an orchestrated attempt to discredit her.

Read more: (Gromer Jeffers Jr., “Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson: ‘I Broke No Rules’ in Scholarship Flap,”Dallas Morning News, 09/28/10)