Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., appears to have been using the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s scholarship program not only to enrich his own family, but also as an employee benefits package for his office and his wife’s business, according to new information dug up by oppo researchers at the National Republican Campaign Committee and given to the Albany Herald:

According to the NRCC, the seven questionable scholarships center around:

• Jonathan Alston – a former employee of Bishop’s office who has presumably never lived in or attended college in Bishop’s district – in clear violation of scholarship rules;
• Tiffany N. Tisdale – the niece of Bishop’s Field Representative Elaine Gillespie;
• Robin Foster – the niece of Bishop’s $8,000 donor, Calvin Smyre;
• Bonica T. Smith – the daughter of one of Bishop’s wife’s employees;
• Lemeka S. Jacobs – the daughter of one of Bishop’s wife’s employees;
• Aubrey Smith – the nephew of one of Bishop’s wife’s employees;
• Kelli J. Blair – the daughter of one of Bishop’s wife’s employees.

This is no laughing matter for Democrats. Bishop, arguably the most conservative member of the black caucus, has an African-American plurality district that George W. Bush narrowly won in 2004.