Jim Clyburn’s Pimp Hand

We all know that House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn likes to keep it in the family when it comes to spreading around your tax dollars.

In fact, South Carolina’s preeminent “poverty pimp” is widely-known for his use of the federal budget as a familial employment agency.

What we didn’t know is that in addition to such taxpayer-funded exploits, Clyburn likes to use his Washington power perch to bring in the big, sweet private dollars as well.

Harper’s Magazine reporter Ken Silverstein brings us this report:

Take a look at the James E. Clyburn Research and Scholarship Foundation, the personal charity of House Majority Whip James Clyburn. New disclosure forms required by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act show that donors to the foundation in 2008 included AT&T, Microsoft and Dell Computer. Not to mention Ford, UPS and Verizon. And Novartis, AstraZenica and Abbott Labs. And Merck, Wal-mart and Time Warner. Among others.

Past donors to the foundation include Coca-Cola and the Nuclear Energy Institute, of which Clyburn is a loyal ally. DeLay’s foundation sponsored a golf tournament — and so does Clyburn’s, the Rudolph Canzater Memorial Golf Classic. “Each year, hundreds of elected officials, business and community leaders from around the country gather on the shores of South Carolina’s 110,000 acre Lake Marion at Santee to participate,” says the house whip’s website. “As in years past, proceeds from the Classic will fund need-based scholarships for high school graduates and college students.”

Just like DeLay and his foundation, Clyburn is all about the kids.

Of course he is. How effin’ sweet.

Our only question is this …

With such an obvious love affair with kids and golfing, why didn’t Clyburn’s foundation pay to erect that new putting green at the Spartanburg (S.C.) Country Club?

You know, the one where local superintendent Thomas White and three of his board members like to gather in exclusivity to sip mint julips or whatever it is that white people do at country clubs.

Seriously, with such an ample private slush fund at Clyburn’s disposal, why should any S.C. school district have to pay $200,000 in public funds to this private club, ostensibly on behalf of the local high school golf team?

We’re just guessing, but part of the reason Clyburn’s foundation hasn’t stroked a check to the Spartanburg Country Club may be that … yeah, ‘dems be white folks ‘dat live up ‘dere in Sparkle City …

Oh well, if Clyburn doesn’t want to cover such Caucasian expenses with his slush fund, perhaps at the very least start paying his family members with it.

You know, instead of using everybody’s tax dollars.

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