Brown: criminal case a 'witch hunt'

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Embattled Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown labeled the criminal case against her "half truths and (a) witch hunt" while speaking to reporters Monday in Tallahassee, adding she hasn't gotten enough credit for work she's done on behalf of constituents. Brown repeatedly tried to bat away questions from reporters about a federal indictment, which accuses the longtime incumbent of conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, violating tax laws and concealing income on financial disclosures that members of Congress are required to file. The congresswoman insisted she was focused on winning re-election while her lawyers handled the trial. "My job is to let people know what I've done," Brown said. "Team attorney's is to deal with that witch hunt." Brown repeatedly referred to her work to get scholarships for children, including 22 she said would go to China free of charge, and said reporters hadn't done enough research into that and other parts of her work in the U.S. House. "I understand. It's really hard being a black woman with a mouth. But I am --- black woman with a mouth --- and will use that mouth to speak up for the people I represent," she said. Brown is competing with former state Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, in the Aug. 30 primary in a redrawn Congressional District 5.