No. Although the statute does not specifically prohibit the awarding of JRJ funds to elected officials (assuming they otherwise would qualify as an eligible beneficiary), BJA, in its discretion, has determined that policy and ethical considerations preclude elected officials from being eligible.
This prohibition does not extend to persons who hold elected offices other than prosecutor or public defender (e.g., city council member unrelated to prosecutor/public defender), provided: (1) a reasonable person could conclude that the individual’s elected status did not form a basis for their selection for JRJ benefits; (2) the person did not use their office to influence a decision pertaining to the application; and (3) the person’s obligations to their elected office do not interfere with the fulfillment of the JRJ service obligation.
As of 4/3/2018
