The Hill News

In a heated interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson said her chief of staff Murat Gokcigdem was responsible for reviewing applications to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation scholarships. The Texas Democrat is under attack for doling out student aid to her relatives and the children of her top aide in Dallas.

Early on in the interview, Johnson said the rules were "very ambiguous," at least until new rules came out last year.

But Cooper said 2006 and 2008 scholarship applications reviewed by CNN clearly state that "Employees and/or relatives of CBC members, CBC spouses, CBC Foundation, board of directors are ineligible for the scholarship program."
Johson replied that she "didn't read the form," according to a transcript of the interview. She "acknowledged that I made a mistake" but went on to say she was largely out of the loop.

Asked if, scholarship rules aside, it didn't make common s! ense that getting scholarships for her relatives seems unethical, Johnson said she "didn't really think about it that much."

"I'm the last one that they send these things to," she said. "And, usually, they go right to my chief of staff. I have not dwelled on trying to figure out a way to give my grandchildren $1,000 a year. I have not done that."

Johnson said she did not believe her grandchildren deliberately lied when filling out the applications, even though they state that they're not related to a CBC member.

The CBC Foundation is investigating the way its members use its scholarship program as a result of the scandal.

"I know you want you to make a scandal out of this ... but I can't help you," Johnson said. "All I can do is tell you the truth."

"Well," Cooper answered, "I think you've done enough in terms of making it a scandal."