Black members of Congress supporting Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) presidential bid are grumbling that leaders the officially neutral Black Caucus (CBC) are trying to help Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

The CBC is split 11-9 between Obama and Clinton, while former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) has picked up support from three members, according to a tally kept by The Hill.

Obama’s supporters are privately crying foul because they feel that the group’s neutrality is being subverted by Chairwoman Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) and Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.), chairman of the CBC Foundation, who have invited Clinton to a forum at next week’s Annual Legislative Conference at the Washington Convention Center. The forum, to be held Sept. 28, is washington convention center â€SWhat’s at Stake in 2008 — A washington convention center with Sen. Hillary Clinton.”

Kilpatrick, Meek, Clinton and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, the congresswoman’s son, will participate in the dialogue. But CBC rules dictate that only CBC members can hold these so-called â€SBrain Trusts” during the four-day conference.

Meek has endorsed Clinton; Kilpatrick has not.