At a moment when Democratic Party officials are urging voters to trust unelected superdelegates to act in the country's best interests, HuffPost's OffTheBus investigation into the background of DNC superdelegates reveals at least one appointed superdelegate who is as likely to use his political connections for personal profit as for the greater good.
Take the case of Joseph F. Johnson, a member-at-large of the Democratic National Committee from Chantilliy, Virginia -a suburb of Washington D.C. -- and a superdelegate currently tilting toward Hillary Clinton. Using his web of connections, Johnson successfully lobbied for the construction of a private prison linked to a company on whose board he sat; he managed to have that prison contract with other companies he was linked to; and though the prison became a notorious and dangerous failure, Johnson benefited personally, pulling in millions of dollars in stock options and fees.
Johnson first rose through the ranks of the Democratic machine in the early 1990s, as executive director of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He brought with him strong ties to D.C. government that he'd built after his first job in the nation's capital, as chief of staff for the city of Washington DC's city council head. He also managed Douglas Wilder's successful campaign to become Virginia's first African-American governor in 1991. And Johnson advised Mark Warner on his successful 2001 gubernatorial bid in Virginia.
Johnson's reputation as a mover and shaker in D.C. Democratic politics helped pave the way for his appointment to the board of Corrections Corporation of America, the largest operator of private prisons in the country. While serving in that position from 1996 to 1999, Johnson was instrumental in convincing the local government in Washington, DC to pay CCA to run a prison in Youngstown, Ohio for DC inmates, according to SEC filings for the company. Meanwhile, two of Johnson's own companies, National Corrections and Rehabilitation (NCRC) and MedCorr, were contracted to provide employment rehabilitation and health services in the same prison he helped establish.
The private Ohio prison which Johnson helped establish was, according to Youngstown's then-mayor, "a nightmare." By 1998, there had been two fatal stabbings, 44 assaults, and six escapes at the prison. A Department of Justice report found that under CCA, the prison had "failed to accomplish the basic mission of correctional safety;" and prisoners eventually collected $1.65 million in damages and legal costs for their treatment under CCA.
News reports traced the problems at the prison to both CCA's management and D.C. Corrections' practice of sending high-security inmates to the medium-security facility. The problems, Johnson told the Washington Post at the time, weren't "anyone's fault, it was just one of those things."
Mr. Johnson nonetheless profited from the deal, receiving $2.6 million in stock options for his work linking CCA with officials in Washington, D.C. Calling his work "instrumental" to their receipt of the contract, CCA said that Mr. Johnson had "exceeded his duties and obligations" to the company and also paid him $382,000 for his "consulting services" in helping to arrange the deal, and $991,000 for NCRC's services in another CCA prison in Texas.
Johnson had also helped arrange for Washington, D.C. to sell one of its local prisons to CCA in 1996. Local activists complained that procurement rules had been skipped over to hand the bid to CCA, but the deal ultimately went through, and CCA then managed the facility and used NCRC to provide services to inmates. When the Washington Post asked Johnson if he considered his dual roles as a conflict of interest, he replied, "Not in my mind."
Two years later, the Washington Post reported that CCA faced $1.3 million in fines for failing to provide services to inmates, including $536,000 in fines for failing to properly administer medications and another $77,400 for failing to provide vision services. The city's Department of Corrections, despite being $8.8 million in the red, suspended most of the fines, according to Post reports from the time.
Johnson has over time expanded his list of companies; NCRC is technically a subsidiary of his firm, the Johnson Companies [www.jcmps.com]. Under that umbrella, Mr. Johnson also houses the Houston-based Satellite Tracking of People, LLC (STOP), which deals in GPS tracking devices for inmates and parolees; the Nashville-based ConnectGov, Inc, which coordinates distance learning; and the National Preparedness Training Center, which trains first responders to disasters.
Johnson's work outside of prisons and security has also created controversy. An earlier company of his, HealthCare Affiliates, was involved in a 1995 dispute in Newport News, Virginia, where the company had been contracted to turn around a failing hospital, according to the Newport News Daily Press. A 1996 audit [ LINK: www.hud.gov/offices/oig/reports/files/ig731002.pdf] by the federal Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development found that both HealthCare Affiliates and the hospital's Board of Trustees had "ignored regulatory and financial requirements," spending $1.45 million on "costs not directly related to operations," including using hospital funds to cover travel expenses and apartments for Johnson's staff, and paying board members for staff positions. Mr. Johnson denied any mismanagement, telling a Daily Press reporter that the HUD audit was likely " a rehash of a lot of the things....all of those files had every inch of support in them."
Most recently, Johnson took the helm of Homeland Security Corporation as chief executive officer. The Illinois-based company and its subsidiary, Pressure Point Control Tactics, currently subcontract from Lockheed Martin to provide services and training to the Transportation Safety Administration, according to the PPCT website. (Note: HSC's website does not currently list Mr. Johnson on staff, but company spokesperson Garry Bonding confirmed that Mr. Johnson is the company's CEO.)
None of this can be found in the bio on file for Johnson with the Democratic National Committee, to which he was appointed as an at-large member--and therefore superdelegate--by Chairman Howard Dean at the last convention.
State party officials, who have no formal role in selecting at-large delegates, declined to comment when asked about Johnson. DNC officials declined to explain the specifics of Johnson's appointment or comment on his private-sector dealings, but noted his years of service to the party.
Johnson hasn't publicly committed to a candidate but federal election records show that he and Sharron Johnson (of the same address) each donated a legal maximum of $2300 to Senator Clinton's campaign in late 2007. During the summer, Johnson had also given $1,000 to Senator Barack Obama.
Multiple calls to Senator Clinton's campaign were unreturned, and Sen. Obama's campaign did not respond by press time. When contacted for this report, Johnson declined to comment on the record.
A steady supporter of Washington D.C.'s African-American community, Johnson is well known in the city's eighth ward, said Joyce Scott, the president of Park South Neighborhood Corporation, a housing development in the area. Local Councilmember Marion Barry also sings his praises, and recently introduced a ceremonial council resolution commending Johnson's service to the community. "[Johnson]'s a good hearted person," said Scott. "He's one of our supporters, so I think he's a fantastic person."
Check out the OffTheBus superdelegate investigation here to read superdelegate interviews and profiles.
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Correct me if I am wrong...but these rules have been in place since 1980?
All of a sudden everyone is in tune to them. Again...wake up America.
Why has the Democratic Party allowed pro-war, hateful Hillary to ruin America one last chance?
Pelosi has been enough of a let down.
Hillary is a Neo Lib ... yes, her racism crap is working as planned but is that what we need for the Nation?
No More Bushs ... No More Clintons.
Uhhh...Obama and Clinton have the identical voting record for the war.
Obama has introduced race...it's his attendance record that spurs the race card.
I don't think Clinton gave Obama the directive to go to the Trinity Church for the past 20 years.
Here is some interesting reading for those who are interested in both sides of an issue....
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There's a reason Hillary Clinton has remained relatively silent during the flap over intemperate remarks by Barack Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. When it comes to unsavory religious affiliations, she's a lot more vulnerable than Obama.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080331/ehrenreich
No one plays by the rules anymore, they just put them out there to look good.
Will be glad when all of this is over with.
What happened to the rules are the rules.
After this election, the chips falling where they will, are the people going to be motivated to stop this superdelegate nonesense for future elections?
and what "people" do you think have that kind of power?
Its going to be super delegates playing the role of the Supreme Court and choosing who they want.
Just one more reason I plan on sitting out an election for the first time in close to 3o years. The peoples vote wont make a darn bit of difference. Corporate and elitist have hand picked who they will allow to run, then we are told our vote counts, but all we are really getting to do is pick one of the chosen. And Super Delegates, like the Supreme Court in 2000, will take that little false pleasure away now.
Bad call, Loki.
Sitting on your voting hand will only let the bad guys get their way unopposed. Do we want another Reagan? Another Boy George? We'll get one, if you guys refused to vote for someone else. Or- if you cast a protest vote for a guy who can't get elected -- like Nader, who couldn't make change happen if we bit him, because he doesn't have the ability to compromise.
Not if his life depended on it, could Nader compromise any of his closely-held positions (which means ALL of them).
Do you seriously think that, because YOU don't vote, that means that McCain "Bomb Iran" supporters will likewise stay home?
Not voting means that you will wake up, on November 8th, to more of the same diseased karap that we've suffered through ever since Reagan.
Your call.
------
kill your tv.
I am with you and I strongly believe that if we all sit home on election day something will have to change..... but people don't understand that if comes to elections their only power is NOT TO VOTE. Since our votes have no power at all, what's a reason to vote ? just because we have a RIGHT TO VOTE ??? A vote without a power is worth nothing - that's how I understand democratcy.
vote
do not give up
that is just what they want
my belief too
nice article thanks
Talk about ethics, morals, transparency and who is ready to do the job on day one.
Depends on what kind of job. I imagine HRC and her weapons of "mass character assassination" will blackmail and strong arm the superdelegates into her corner. Like, support me or you will never work in politics again. I would like to think that she has become a good person, moral ethical, self less etc. Obama's camp has some clout. If he is as ethical as he seems he is not in her league, when it comes to "Power". His speech was great, but he seems nice, idealistic, and not willing to play be her rules. The lobbyist, big business, and all who want business as usual will support HRC. So many things beyond anyone's control impact these outcomes.
The whole purpose of the superdelegates is to suck power away from voters and put it in the hands of Party leaders. Check it out on Wiki. After the reforms of 1968, Party leaders got their knickers in a twist because their power was threatened. In 1984 they instituted the "unassigned delagates". They started with 12% and have gradually increased them to 20%.
It's a power grab, no ifs, or buts about, with or without the sleeze.
All you have to do is look at Congress with it's 18% approval ratings to see the quality of representation the Party leadership has given us.
The sleeze is the fact that Obama is not above the games. What about the hundreds of thousand dollars he has given to get the super-delegates to support him?
The comments made by the preacher wasn't racial it was unAmerican. Funny how Obama turned it into a racial slant and is getting praised for it. I can't imagine being around someone very long if they were that different from my beliefs. Interesting!
Why doesnt this Dem Party stop the Hil drama? Hil is allowed to lash out at her party rival as if she is JMcC, and she keeps on ticking and falsely persuading the poor class folks by her," I am the only one,"
speech to them while spicing her tone with male and racial bashing of Obama. Why don't the folks get the message? Hil is instilling fear into these white folks who will trust her sayings over Obama because they have never TRUSTED other folks who don't look like them, and these folks arent getting the chance to hear Obama, to learn Obama , and come to grips with the fact that Obama is just another person much like themselves. Oh re think how you vote America. Or giving your vote to Hil is like keeping Bush for 4more years.
What exactly does this article have to do with Hillary Clinton?
It connects to HRC, because the superdelegates decide who runs. HRC wants to be president. Loyalties to HRC run deep and go back through much favor giving. When you read about how superdelegates "earn" their power you realize that it is a club of "Birds of a feather, flock together". HRC connects to the superdelegates through her history of interactions with high ranking democrat powerplayers. It could be political suicide to vote against HRC.
regardless of who gets the nomination.. there should be a webite that keeps track of how the superdelegates are 'paid back' by the eventual nominee...
such an experiment may make a good case for doing away with this antequated and undemocratic system.
since when in history have those with power and money allow the "people" 's vote count? Adams etc. wrote in protections for the "ruling" class.
Thank you for the excellent research Tracie. Sure was an eye opener to me. How do these sleazebags get to be Delegates "for the people". What's this ? Another pay to play game? Haven't we seen enough of that under George W. Bush and Dick Cheney's regime? Looks like a serious conflict of interest that should be dealt with by firing this guy. Let's watch to see if the Democratic party does the right thing.
perhaps a revolution is in order
That there are sleazeball politicians who are super-delegates should be no surprise and sleaze is a condition in both parties but that does not speak to the issue. The very concept of super-delegates is athena to the concept of elected delegates and should be abolished by the Democratic Party. It simply affords elected officials in the party to horse trade their interests above that of the electorate ... nothing more!
Sleaze - It's not just for Republicans any more.
The entire superdelegate concept was, from it's very inception, the sleaziest thing the Democrats have done since they stopped advertising themselves as the White Man's Party (Google it). In 1982, they deliberately set this system in place to thwart the will of the voters and maintain power within the ranks of the party elders. This was a rigged game from its very beginning and a primary of this nature is exactly that for which it was created. I expect an extremely ugly scene at the Pepsi Center in Denver based upon the way events are taking place now.
and it never was just the Republicans
Hillary has failed in her second test for President. The first failing to see the long term effect of the Iraq War. The second is failing to see she can't win this race without tearing the Democratic Party apart in the process. What is her goal in staying in? Hoping Obama will self-destruct? Like him or not, it's not going to happen. The guy is a masterful politician and his staff has run a historic campaign (not because of his color but because of the way they structured it, raised money, organized volunteers, etc., It's a juggernaut and his speech today proves it. They set this up at least a week ago when they themselves forced the pastor story back into the headlines so they could deal with it during a period when they had a month before the next primary for damage control.)
What does this have to do with Clinton?
Why does it not include HRC?
These supers are more like the construction of a circular firing squad. I see no way of winning.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Wait till these Supers are outed for their votes and what influenced them.
the big players
have more privilege than HRC and Obama
no one will know
much mix and spin will follow
and the commoners will blink twice and got back to work
Kind of annoying that guys like these walk into a delegate spot without having to do anything but show up in Denver. In Iowa, actual delegates first have to volunteer to represent the candidate of their choice at Caucus night and then attend a series of long boring meetings and conventions at various local levels at their own expense even before they get to the state convention and finally make a vote that almost counts. Then on to Denver at more time and expense. Looks like there are two Americs'a right here in the Democratic Party, maybe Edwards should have started cleaning that up first after the last campaign.
Posted March 18, 2008 | 06:29 AM (EST)