Congresswomen Corrine Brown has been indicted on 24 counts, ranging from wire fraud, mail fraud, making false statements, conspiracy to commit fraud and engaging in tax obstruction between 2008 and 2014. Her district, drawn in 1992 to give African-American voters in North and Central Florida a chance to elect a candidate of their choice, has traditionally run north-south, with the most recent version winding from Jacksonville to Orlando.
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Rep. Corrine Brown pleads not guilty to each count of fraud charges in federal court Friday morning in Jacksonville.
Brown appeared on materials, such as brochures, for the group, including a golf tournament at which money was raised.
Brown released a statement Friday afternoon saying that she was stepping down in accordance with House rules. “She has been a champion for America’s veterans”, Pelosi said.
According to the indictment, Brown and her chief of staff are accused of using Brown’s position to bring $800,000 in donations to a fraudulent education charity. “Black legislators matter”, one read.
“My heart is just really heavy”, the Florida representative told reporters outside the courthouse.
“I am innocent of the charges announced today, and I intend to vigorously defend myself in court against those politically motivated allegations”, Brown said.
Brown said she looks forward to having her attorneys present “the other side” of the story.
The Obama administration, via the Education and Justice departments, issued guidance to schools in May directing them to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
Brown and Simmons both entered a not guilty plea.
“Congresswoman Brown and her chief of staff are alleged to have used the congresswoman’s official position to solicit over $800,000 in donations to a supposed charitable organization, only to use that organization as a personal slush fund”, Caldwell wrote.
IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Richard Weber and Assistant Director of the FBI Diego Rodriguez [Photo by Keith Lane/Getty Images]Michelle Klimt, Special Agent in charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division stated, “Corrupt public officials undermine the integrity of our government and violate the public’s trust. that is why public corruption is the FBI’s top criminal priority”.
They say the money was used for vacations, events in Brown’s honor and luxury boxes at a Beyoncé concert and an National Football League game. The FBI says a relative of Simmons’ allegedly received $735,000 in government salary despite “performing no known work” and that Simmons diverted more than $80,000 of that salary for his personal benefit.
“Our office is committed to ferreting out and prosecuting all forms of corruption and fraud, regardless of who the offender is”, U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III said. In our nation, no one is above the law..
On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a sealed indictment. It was sponsored by the One Door organization and coincided with a freight and rail industry symposium in Jacksonville. Brown was indicted Friday by a federal grand jury on multiple fraud, theft of government funds, conspiracy and other charges.
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The charges range from mail, wire and tax fraud to lying on financial disclosures, and they’re mostly connected to a bogus charity called One Door for Education. She is seeking re-election this year in a newly redrawn district.
