Corrine Brown
Encyclopedia : C : CO : COR : Corrine Brown
Corrine Brown (born November 11 1946), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the Third District of Florida. ([map]) Her district includes parts of Duval, Clay, Putnam, Alachua, Volusia, Marion, Lake, Seminole, and Orange Counties.
Biography
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Brown was educated at Florida A&M University where she received a bachelor's and master's degree, and the University of Florida, where she was awarded an Education Specialist Degree. She received an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, and has been on the faculty at the latter two schools and at Florida Community College at Jacksonville. She served in the Florida House of Representatives for 10 years before entering government at the national level, and she is currently a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Investigations
Controversy has followed Brown since the start of her national political career. A few weeks after becoming a member of the US House in 1993, the Federal Elections Commission began investigating her. Her former campaign treasurer claimed Brown had neglected to take action against an aide who had committed forgery, and Brown admitted to the FEC that her federal campaign reports contained several errors.
In 1996, another investigation responded to charges that Brown had improperly received and spent a $10,000 check from an account used by National Baptist Convention leader Henry J. Lyons for illegal activities. Brown admitted to receiving the check but denied she had used the money improperly.
Ethics complaints
On June 9, 1998, the Congressional Accountability Project filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Brown. The Project called for U.S. House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to investigate several violations of House Rule 10 [link]. One of the complaints was that Foutanga Dit Babani Sissoko, a West African businessman, purchased a $50,000 Lexus for Brown's daughter after Brown lobbied Janet Reno to release him from prison through the use of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Project held this violated the House gift rule, but Brown denied she had acted improperly. The congressional subcommittee investigating Brown found insufficient evidence to issue a Statement of Alleged Violation, but did believe she had acted with poor judgement in connection with Sissoko.[link]
Somewhat less controversially, Brown hired jazz and gospel singer Roslyn Burrough as a "congressional outreach specialist". Burrough was paid $40,000 at taxpayer expense for two 12-week engagements [link].
On February 25, 2004 Representative Brown referred to the Bush Administration as a "racist" "bunch of white men" in a meeting with senior State Department officials and members of Congress. Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, a Mexican American, deeply resented "being called a racist and branded a white man." Brown retorted to Noriega and Cuban-American Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart that "you all look alike to me". Brown apologized for her personal statements, but still contends that Bush's involvement in the 2004 Haiti Rebellion was racist.
Political activity
In her current (2003-2005) term, Brown has cosponsored legislation regarding civil rights and foreign relations. She has also participated with Michael Moore's "Slacker" college voter drive tour.
On the first day of early voting for the 2004 General Election, Brown, with several supporters, stood on the steps of the enterance of the Duval County Supervisor of Elections headquarters, an early voting site, and began passing out a "pseudo-ballot," directing people to vote for only Democratic candidates and Florida amendments that should pass. It was not until Noon that Brown and her supporters moved to the mandatory fifty feet away from the entrance. Brown claimed her intention had been to increase awareness of early voting, and that she had not knowingly violated the fifty feet rule. ["First Coast News" Report]
Further reading
- [Tallahassee Democrat: Feb. 26, 2004 Coast Guard stops boat carrying 21 Haitians]
- [WJXT (Jacksonville): Corrine Brown Calls Administration's Policy On Haiti 'Racist']
- [Washington Post: Brown Sorry She Called Powell Aide 'White']
- [Capitol Hill Blue: Rep. Corrine Brown and her long trail of lies, deceit and unpaid bills]
External links
- [Official website]
- [bioguide.congress.gov article on Corrine Brown]
- [Campaign website]
- [record maintained by the Washington Post]
| Florida Congressional Delegation currently serving in the United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Senators : | Bill Nelson (D), Mel Martinez (R) |
| Representative(s) : | Jeff Miller (R), Allen Boyd (D), Corrine Brown (D), Ander Crenshaw (R), Ginny Brown-Waite (R), Cliff Stearns (R), John Mica (R), Ric Keller (R), Michael Bilirakis (R), Bill Young (R), Jim Davis (D), Adam Putnam (R), Katherine Harris (R), Connie Mack IV (R), Dave Weldon (R), Mark Foley (R), Kendrick Meek (D), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), Robert Wexler (D), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R), E. Clay Shaw Jr. (R), Alcee Hastings (D), Tom Feeney (R), Mario Diaz-Balart (R) |
|
Current Delegation: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY | AS DC GU PR VI | |
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