Former First Lady Ignites Controversy with Katrina Donation

Stealing a line from Bush fan Britney Spears, former First Lady Barbara Bush should be telling son George, "Oops!...I Did It Again."

The Houston Chronicle reports: "As Barbara Bush spent two hours championing her son's software company at a Houston middle school Thursday morning, a watchdog group questioned whether the former first lady should be allowed to channel a donation to Neil Bush's Ignite Learning company through Houston's Hurricane Katrina relief fund.

"It's strange that the former first lady would want to do this. If her son's having a rough time of it, couldn't she write him a check?" said Daniel Borochoff, founder of the American Institute of Philanthropy, a Chicago-based charity watchdog group. "Maybe she isn't aware that people could frown upon this."

"Some critics said donations to a tax-deductible charitable fund shouldn't benefit the Bush family. Others questioned whether the Houston Independent School District violated district policy by allowing the company to host a promotional event on campus."

In February, World Net Daily reported that: "Investors from the United Arab Emirates helped fund the $23 million Neil Bush raised for Ignite!, the learning systems company that holds lucrative No Child Left Behind Act contracts in Florida and Texas.

"Neil Bush's frequent travels to Dubai are documented by Datamatix, a Dubai-based information technology company that has featured Neil Bush as a speaker. The Datamatix website features several prominent photographs of Neil Bush addressing a Dubai conference, identifying Neil Bush as 'the brother of U.S. President George Bush.'

"Neil Bush has a reputation as the 'problem child' of former President George and Barbara Bush. In 1988 he was a director of the failed Silverado Savings and Loan, which collapsed in a scandal that ultimately cost taxpayers an estimated $1 billion. For his role in the savings and loan debacle, he was personally fined and permanently banned from any further activities in banking.

"As investigative reporters start digging to 'follow the money' in what is becoming known as the 'Dubai Debacle,' Neil Bush is certain to find center stage once again in what well could be also dubbed the coming 'Neil-gate' controversy."

This is just what a scandal-ridden administration needs!