A Slush Fund's Cleanup
Deodorizing a $3.5 million grant program in Prince George's

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

ASLUSH FUND formerly run by friends of Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) has apparently been cleaned up, which is good news. But questions remain about what happened to some of the $700,000 in grants already distributed and whether anyone will be prosecuted for the disgraceful mishandling of the public's money.

First, the good news. The $2.8 million that remains to be disbursed by 2014 will no longer be controlled by the shambolic organization known as the National Harbor Community Outreach Committee, of which at least four of seven members were named by or were aligned with Mr. Johnson. Instead, the money will by administered exclusively by the Prince George's Community Foundation, a reputable outfit with a solid board of directors and a good track record in the charity field.

That's important because the funds in question constitute one of Prince George's largest sources of philanthropic giving. Under a deal originally struck with Mr. Johnson as part of the approval for the $2 billion National Harbor project being built on the banks of the Potomac, the money is to be donated in eight more annual installments of $350,000 by Milton V. Peterson, the developer. An agreement signed last month by the Prince George's Community Foundation, the County Council, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Peterson states that from now on the dollars will be disbursed in line with clear, transparent and established procedures, for the benefit of legitimate nonprofit entities in the county and, most important, in a manner free of political taint, self-dealing and influence-peddling.

And what of the abuses that took place during the previous regime under the control of Mr. Johnson's friend and political ally Michael Arrington? What of the $30,000 he presented to his children's private school and the Brownie troop to which they belonged? What of the $20,000-plus that he reported had been given to various charities but in fact was never received and simply disappeared? What of the cash lavished on unknown, unlisted organizations with generic names such as "See the Other Side" and "Minority Male Mentoring Program," to be spent on who knows what by who knows whom? What of the members of the grant-giving Community Outreach Committee who voted to distribute public funds to their own, sketchy organizations, not to mention the dollars funneled to Mr. Johnson himself, who distributed them, conveniently, during his reelection campaign last fall?

There may be some answers, if the Maryland state prosecutor's office presses its investigation aggressively. The office, charged with looking into allegations of public corruption, has already contacted a number of grantees as well as members of the now-defunct Community Outreach Committee; in at least one case, it has issued a subpoena seeking documents. Let's hope those efforts will be fruitful, both in uncovering the full extent of past abuses and in standing as a warning to others who would play fast and loose with public funds.