By Paul Shepard on Nov 18th 2010 4:48PM
Filed under: News, Politics, Race and Civil Rights
The House Ethics chief counsel believes Rep. Charlie Rangel should be censured for fiscal and fundraising misdeeds that have tarnished his 40-year legacy as Harlem's man on Capitol Hill.
It sounds like Rangel is getting off light.
Censure is way different than expulsion from Congress, which the full House Ethics Committee could hit Rangel with but is unlikely to do after Rangel was found guilty of violating 11 ethics rules.
As Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said during a hearing on Rangel's punishment, not paying taxes on his winter home in the Dominican Republic is no minor crime.
The tax dodging Rangel did is all the more disgraceful for a man who until recently chaired the House Ways and Means Committee, the body in charge of writing the tax laws of our nation.
At the hearing Rangel trotted out Rep. John Lewis of Georgia to speak on his behalf.
But for me, Lewis' words of support for Rangel ring hollow.
Rangel got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Now he will pay the price with a Congressional censure.
While the censure will allow Rangel to keep the House seat he won in November's election, Rangel also knows that this punishment will tar his political legacy. For a proud old politician, that is a heavy burden to bear.
Maybe Charlie Rangel didn't get off so light after all.
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Comments: (8)
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By: poetrysez on 11/18/2010 6:59PM
I agree-Rangel is getting off light ;{ But he's done so much good-I guess that's being taking into consideration!
For the record-I doubt if Charles Rangel cares about tarnishing his rep because as far as his rep goes...Harlemnites and New Yorkers in general... will always embrace him. And it looks like the "jury" has shown him some love, as well ;}
Great blog!!!
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By: sharkchops on 11/19/2010 9:23AM
Well he's always taken his base for granted so he says and does what he wants. But this was a long time coming. He's been dirty for awhile. He really did it to himself, despite any witch hunts.
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By: Brady on 11/18/2010 6:30PM
Maybe you are right, just a blow to his pride. Still if we avoid taxes for 17 years, ITS ON, and we dont have John Lewis to beg for us.
Just doesnt seem fair to me, that he gets to keep all privledges, he is a tax cheat! The rest of us would be threaten with liens agaisnt are assets to include are homes and pay.
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By: Bullseye on 11/19/2010 9:35AM
Obviously his censuring is merely a trade off for his "whistle-blowing" capabilities... Consider the "STRATEGIC" removal of this 40 year veteran congress member... Personally I believe Deals & favors have been overlaoding that his staff has gotten sloppy..,
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By: dawggybon on 11/19/2010 12:45PM
Censured? The cocky bastard ought to be put in jail!
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By: CB on 11/21/2010 8:56AM
Leave him along like all of the crooks in politics. Oh, let Wisley sipes out of jail for tax evasion also. Fair exchange is no robbery.
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By: You Know Who on 11/21/2010 6:48PM
No thug like an old thug too dam senile, to know when to go home.Lie,cheat,steal,throw the rock and hide your hand,yea, we learned it from the white-men who precided us.What a dam joke,they all know about him,and he has data about the other thugs. He should have been gone, greedy, old bastard.What an example for the young men and women, who are supposed to be getting an education (DEGREE).What a dumb-ass way to go down,I retired over 20 years ago, he's a fool.Now go back to work young people,and pay your bills on time, keep your credit scores up, ok!!! Yes, attorneys are professional (LIARS),get use to it!!!
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By: paulsan on 3/23/2011 8:45AM
find attorney
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