WASHINGTON – House ethics investigators have accused the once-powerful Rep. Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.) of breaking a series of congressional rules.Nailed by the House ethics commitee. How guilty do you have to be to have that happen?
Mr. Rangel will have the opportunity to defend himself at a public trial before the House ethics committee beginning next week, according to a statement Thursday from the panel, formally called the House Committee on Standards of Official Contact. The committee did not detail the charges or its findings. Congressional ethics investigators had been reviewing whether Mr. Rangel failed to disclose $75,000 worth of income he received from a rental property he owns in the Dominican Republic. Mr. Rangel has admitted what he called a mistake on that matter and has paid back taxes.
That's what I get for borrowing Geithner's copy of Turbotax...
Lawmakers are required to fill out a financial-disclose statement once a year listing their assets, debts and sources of income. But Mr. Rangel has repeatedly failed to report all of his assets, and he recently filed amended reports that disclosed an additional $500,000 in assets.
Oh, that 500 grand in assets...
Investigators have also been reviewing whether Mr. Rangel used official congressional letterhead for fund-raising letters he sent to corporations and others seeking donations for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York.
In addition, investigators were looking at whether Mr. Rangel have violated congressional rules by occupying several rent-stabilized apartments provided by a Manhattan real estate developer. The congressman himself had asked the ethics committee to look into those two matters.
If Mr. Rangel is found guilty of violating House rules, he could face a penalty as severe as expulsion from Congress.
Or a strongly worded letter...
A special investigative panel set up by the ethics committee had spent months looking into allegations of wrongdoing by Mr. Rangel. Thursday's action by the investigators is similar to an indictment. "The investigative subcommittee has said that there was wrongdoing. Now there will be public hearings" to determine if the charges can be proven, said Robert Walker, the former staff director of the ethics committee.
"I am pleased that, at long last, sunshine will pierce the cloud of serious allegations that have been raised against me in the media,'' Mr. Rangel said in a statement. "I will be glad to respond to the allegations at such time as the ethics committee makes them public."
...I am soooo fuckin' dead. Oh, wait! I forgot about my constituents! See ya next year, boys!
In March, Mr. Rangel stepped down as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, a week after the ethics committee found him guilty of violating House rules by failing to properly disclose a trip to the Caribbean that was underwritten by corporations. Mr. Rangel later reimbursed the costs of the trip using funds from his campaign account.
In other word's, "other people's money".
Mr. Rangel's popularity in his home district of Harlem has largely survived intact. It is unclear how much Thursday's ethics report will help the congressman's primary challengers. Rangel's re-election chances hinge largely on the Sept. 14 Democratic Party primary, since his district is so heavily Democratic. His challengers include state Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, son of the man Rangel unseated in 1970. Also seeking the seat are Vince Morgan, a former aide to Mr. Rangel, as well as Jonathan Tasini, an anti-war activist, and Joyce Johnson, an Obama supporter. So far, only Mr. Powell comes close to the name recognition likely to be necessary to unseat the longtime incumbent.
Adam Clayton Powell. There's a name from the past. He made Charlie look like Mother Teresa.
Mr. Rangel has suggested that the ethics questions may help him with voters who think he is being unfairly criticized.
I blame...THE MAN!
The Harlem Democrat has planned a giant birthday bash and campaign fundraiser in New York in a few weeks, featuring a performance by Aretha Franklin.
Let's hope she don't charge her meals to Charlie. That'll clean out his campaign account.
The last lawmaker to stand public trial by the House ethics committee was Rep. Jim Traficant (D., Ohio), who was expelled from Congress.
Who was found guilty of horrific abuse of a hairpiece...