ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates has obtained documents showing Congresswoman Corrine Brown's name and the U.S. House seal were used by a group claiming to raise money for scholarships.
9 Investigates has been following this story for week, after learning Brown received a subpoena from federal prosecutors.
It’s still not known what’s Brown's subpoena, but sources said others have been subpoenaed for documents related to that organization.
Channel 9’s Daralene Jones obtained copies of invitations to a golf tournament, inauguration festivities and receptions, going back four years.
All of the events were hosted by Brown and emails show her staff was involved in planning or at least aware.
The invitations were sent to a variety of individuals, agencies and organizations in Orlando and Jacksonville.
One invite to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was on official Congressional letterhead, and others were embossed with the U.S. House of Representatives seal.
Jones showed what she uncovered to former federal prosecutor Brian Phillips.
“The thing that jumped out at me was the large volume of uses of the congressional seal on what looks like non-official congressional correspondence,” Phillips said.
U.S. House ethics rules allow members and staff to solicit on behalf of organizations, like nonprofits. But no official endorsement by the U.S. House may be implied, and the officials seal can’t be used.
“Why is the seal there, how did it get there, who put it there,” are all questions Phillips said federal prosecutors might want to ask.
For the events, donors were told to make checks payable to One Door for Education, a Virginia-based organization that has never been registered to legally solicit donations.
One inauguration event said, “Make checks payable to One Door For Education and Mailed to the attention of Ronnie Simmons.”
Even though it lists a tax ID on its website, the state of Virginia shows no record of the agency ever being registered to legally solicit donations.
And the agency is not a tax exempt nonprofit registered with the IRS.
Whomever added the seal was working to raise money for One Door for Education.
The 2013 golf tournament alone was on track to raise more than $100,000, according to emails and other documents.
“I'd start to want to look at the underlying bank transactions and financial transactions that stemmed from it,” Phillips said. “In other words, where did the money go?” asked Jones. “Exactly,” said Phillips.
The city of Orlando did not find records to show the mayor or his staff ever wrote checks, using city funds, to One Door for Education or attended any of the events they were invited to.
No one from One Door for Education has returned calls or emails.
Brown's attorney said he has no comment.
A former and current staffer connected to some of these events also did not comment.
Cox Media Group
