Eddie Bernice Johnson Supporters: To Err Is Human, We Continue to Trust Her
I stumbled upon an impromptu press conference, guess that’s what you’d call it, on behalf of Eddie Bernice Johnson by some supporters in the ante-room behind City Council chambers this morning. Arranged kind of quickly, I hear, perhaps to soak up the press and crowds who had turned out for Mayor Leppert’s call for property tax-hike opponents. In any case, supporters of Pastor Stephen Broden were there also, some praying openly, some telling me the EBJ people did not want them to be there, but they got in a loud sound bite about jobs you will hear on tonight’s news.
EBJ’s supporters? Mostly pastors, including L. Charles Stovall, an ordained elder and associate pastor of social justice and community empowerment at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church. Mr. Stovall got a two-fer as he was passing out a letter in chambers addressed to the city council, protesting the automated calling system
“that has been created to call certain numbers in Dallas which says that the city council wants to raise your taxes and simply asks respondents to press a number if they want their taxes raised. This approach is misleading and deceptive.”
And in contradiction to public hearings, he said.
A few folks stepped up to the mike. Among them, Edna Pemberton, former city councilman Craig Holcomb, Willie Mae Coleman, and Dr. H.A. Tillmann Hein, an anesthesiologist with Metropolitan Anesthesia Consultants. (I literally stumbled into this deal, so apologize if names are not spelled correctly.) Carlos Medrano’s name was called, but he did not come forward. Basically, her supporters all said Dallas was a better place because of EBJ’s leadership, and they shared all the help EBJ has given them throughout the years, each saying in so many words she made a mistake, she paid restitution, I forgive her, it’s over, now let’s move on.
Afterwards, I sidled over to Dr. Hein, who sang her praises for helping de-link anesthesia payments from Medicare rates under a public plan. (That would have kept anesthesiologist’s reimbursement rates at low low Medicare rates, putting them out of business, he said.) I asked how he felt about the health care legislation that she supported. Well, he told me, EBJ, who is a nurse, was incredibly responsive to the doctors’ dilemma. While parts of Obamacare are very bad, he said, some parts are good. He is hoping we can tinker with the plan to remove as much of the bad elements as possible.
It ended with a prayer. I asked if we could ask questions, but was told, no questions.
Of course not, muttered a Broden supporter.
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27 comments
EBJ has about as much chance of NOT being reelected as I have of being asked to return to active duty to be made Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Move on? “I want to move on” ? Of course she wants to move on. So does every thief caught red-handed ! I, on the other hand, do not want to move on. I, challenge her constituents to forgive her personally but to punish her publicly by electing her opponent. To do anything less would be to countenance the theft of funds by a public official.
I’m mad as hell and I – for one – am not going to take it anymore!
To err is human, to steal remorselessly is Congressional?
I think the next time I get pulled over, and a cop is writing me a ticket, I’m just gonna hold up my hand and say, “I am sorry, but I just want to move on.”
This’ll work, I just know it.
So EBJ has been forgiven by her little toadies. They see nothing wrong with her misapropriation of scholarship funds and her compulsive need to lie about the facts of the matter. There’s not much that marginalized voter like me can do in her gerrymandered district. I’ve been voting against her for every election over the last eighteen years. I guess I’ll get to the polls and do it again…
Everyone should forgive her. She didn’t know anything about those scholarships to begin with. Wait, she did?
OK, she certainly didn’t tell her family members to disavow any relationship or knowledge of her, right? Oh, she did?
OK, she certainly didn’t ask the scholarship committee to send payments directly to her relatives. What? She did? It was an accident, right? No? You mean she signed the request herself?
I clearly think there has been a misunderstanding here and I can’t imagine she has ever done anything untoward on purpose. I agree. Let’s forgive and forget. In fact, where should I send a check for her re-election campaign?
What was that? Just send her a check for as much money as I can afford and write the check to “Cash”? Done.
Late last night/early this morning it was stated on the Dallas Morning News site that this “rally” would be held OUTSIDE of City Hall. It was not. It was inside, in a private room, on the 4th or 5th floor and was a PRESS CONFERENCE. Protesters of this rally were initially denied entry into this “private” event. This so-called “private” event was held in a taxpayer-funded building. Protesters were eventually allowed in but also eventually thrown out for exercising their freedom of speech. This press conference REFUSED any questions.
The people there supporting EBJ were busy forgiving her and praying for her sins. Good thing they are, since she herself denies doing anything wrong.
Some of her supporters had the gall to yell at us protesters, while we were being interviewed by TV press, that WE should be ashamed of ourselves. That’s pretty funny coming from a group of people who are NOT ashamed of the scholarship THIEF whom they continue to endorse. As one of them said – “We can’t blame her for what she did. Those were her GRANDBABIES”. Give me a break! EBJ had more personal resources than most to help those “grandbabies” of hers………unlike the parents and families of the kids she ripped off.
Bethany — me too. I sort of like to hit the pedal to the metal when I am driving on 281 or I-35 south to Austin, and I am totally going to try that. I just didn’t know the speed limit was 65!
While I find EBJ’s graft deplorable lets not pretend all this outrage and anger is on behalf of the poor children of her district, many of the people raking her over the coals would be upset if one of her districts children got into the The University of Texas at Austin.
Really, 23 times and not one person involved questioned what was going on? Not any of the people who received the funds or any of the personnel processing the paperwork? Wow…unbelievable. If she is not ashamed of herself and/or if none of the young adults who received the inappropriate support come forward then I truly do not know how we win as a country, Our representatives conntinue to march to the beat of their own drums and can’t tell the difference between right and wrong. Imagine what those scholarships could have done for the right kids? I am ashamed for you Ms. Johnson
@Cease: I am truly sorry, but you’ve lost me. What am I missing in what you are saying? Why would anyone be anything but delighted over a child getting into UT Austin?
Ten years ago, I gave a political contribution to this lady. I started watching her votes. Consistently, she was on the side of business and the lobbyists. The crowning blow was when she voted to allow Greyhound bus to continue busing without wheelchair accomodations for the disabled. She is worthless.
Tom Russell
Good on you, Candy.
Cease, what point are you trying to make? Would love to read your explanation…but you’ve already dug yourself a rather deep hole. Now fill it. Good luck.
So you are saying by your after talk with Dr. Hein –by the way, a D reporter actually asked a question, that is unique– that he was there supporting EBJ becauses he squeezed more money for the docs out of the health care bill. Never mind that the bill was bad, may have dire consequences down the road, or that only his specialty was covered. She could have committed a murder but we support her, we forgive and move on because she helped line my pocketbook.
Folks, this is why there is a Tea Party. Everyone wants to carve out a litle goodie for themselves, and legilators like EBJ thrive on ths, feed it, and stay in office forever. Sad to say, but she probably will.
@Cease — you make as much sense as these supporters of EBJ. The womn is a crook. These people who “stood up” for her are all on the take. Of course she takes from the lobbyists and does their bidding. She’s a you know what: pay me and I’ll give you anything you want in DC.
@Cease is quite simply and quite clearly saying that there are RACISTS out there and that THEREFORE we MUST NOT criticize BLACK PEOPLE. Yawn.
Speaking of RACISTS, here are some RACISTS for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TQBEzaHTiY&feature=player_embedded
Just to keep a perspective on things. Does anyone know how much the no pulse having DICK Chaney has personally gained financially on the war we are in? Please disregard the 1000’s of young American men and women that have been killed following directives that came from his office – I just wonder how much money he has made personally (and continues to make) personally from this war.
Now, let us compare this to EBJ wanting to educate her friends and family.
If I were in a public office, and folks rejoice that I am not, I would make sure my friends and family would benefit from my limited power. I would not, however, do it at the expense of ripping apart 100’s of 1000’s of peoples lives with war and death for my own financial gain.
Lesson – it IS who you know.
Just my humble opinion, and we all have them. What is yours?
Mine? Two wrongs don’t make a right. And she educated her friends and family at the possible expense of other qualified constituents in her district, when her friends and family did not qualify.
I think the disappointment lies in the fact that politics as usual for today – where I’m gonna make sure mine get theirs and I get mine first – trumps actual public service. It’s disappointing when it happens, regardless of the party or the skin color.
@KHB – Oh, so IT”S BUSH’S FAULT. I see. Yawn.
Ok, ok, so we have:
-Don’t blame her, there are RACISTS out there
-Don’t blame her, IT’S BUSH’S FAULT
So I’m just waiting for “don’t blame her, this is the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression” at which point the trifecta is complete
Mr. Bouvier,
I don’t know you, but you are right – I am rejoicing that you are not in office. Shall we take the unethical behavior of anyone and excuse it if it’s not worse than some other ethical behavior? You’re suggesting that because Cheney ripped thousands of lives apart (and we’ll leave the argument of the veracity of that statement aside), it excuses EBJ from wrongdoing. Ostensibly, she’s in the right if her wrongdoing ripped apart at least one less life than Cheney’s.
By that logic, shouldn’t we absolve Cheney of any wrongdoing since there are clearly others out there who have ripped apart more lives than him? Ultimately, everyone is excused except for that one person that ripped apart the most lives.
I’m just happy that EBJ’s little scandal has cured everyone’s self-esteem problems.
Dear Eric and Andy,
I’ve re-read what I wrote just to make sure. I don’t think I “blamed” anyone for anything, forgave and excused EBJ’s behavior or tried to make the case that “everyone is excused except for that one person that ripped apart the most lives”.
I was about to start to explain what my point is, but if that is what your perception of what I wrote (go back and read it is all I will say) I will let that sleeping dog lay.
As we all know, perception in the minds eye IS REALITY.
For the record, I am less than perfect, FAR FROM PERFECT, so I am not even in the line to start throwing stones.
“For the record, I am less than perfect, FAR FROM PERFECT, so I am not even in the line to start throwing stones.”
That horse left the barn at 9:27 this morning.
Your point was made very clearly. You see no problem with a politician using the power of his/her office for personal benefit or the benefit of family and friends, regardless of rules that prohibit such conduct.
Awww Rico, my perfect and non judgmental friend, that horse left the barn some 30 plus years ago. As the other two before you, I am honored to be among such no fault, never having made a wrong decision people.
EBJ and I am shameful horrid sinners, however, none of the three stones thrown so far have hurt. They in fact have tickled a bit. I am going to go enjoy a 20 mile bike ride, so you will only have the faultless voices in your head to debate with. I am going to visit with far more intelligent beings other than you 3 stooges, my dog.
PS – it takes two to debate and I am done with this one, good day!
Mr. Bouvier, your resort to ad hominem does indeed end the debate.
Trifecta Complete: (my mistake on number 3)
Don’t blame EBJ because:
1) There are RACISTS out there
2) It is BUSH’S fault
3) Who ARE YOU to judge?
There you have it folks. May God Have Mercy on us and the FUTURE for our Country
Kevin: You can rationalize all you want, but EBJ’s actions should have already resulted in her resignation and formal charges. You and those who think like you do will always come to the defense of someone like EBJ. You have no shame, you have no integrity and you have no credibility.