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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Congresswoman Corrine Brown went to a federal court in Tallahassee today to try and get her old Congressional District reinstated, but could not avoid questions about an ethics probe she's facing. Brown is trying to get a three-judge panel to overturn new districts ordered by state courts in the wake of the Fair Districts Amendment voters passed in 2010.
The judge ruled a new map must be drawn with that District going east to west instead of its current configuration that runs between Jacksonville and Orlando. After arguments in federal court, Brown says the old District must be restored under the Voting Rights Act of 1964. "It's not about me winning. It's about African Americans having an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.... we have these black and poor pockets all over this state and all over this country, and they need a voice."
That news conference though was dominated by talk of an ethics probe into Congresswoman Brown. She tried to shut reporters down. "I have a team of attorneys and they indicated to me that I should not talk about this matter until you have all of the information."
Questions persisted, and Brown stuck to her guns. "I pay them a lot of money. I mean honestly. they tell me 'zip it until we tell you'."
The Congressional Ethics probe is focused on a charity associated with Brown called One Door for Education. It's taken in more than $800,000 in donations, and only paid out a thousand dollars in scholarships. Brown received a subpoena and was questioned by investigators. "Listen, I think its scary any time anybody comes and starts asking you questions, but the point is if you know the answers to the questions, and you have a team of attorneys working on it, you let them handle it, period."
The head of that charity, Carla Wiley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and has agreed to testify against others if asked.