Rangel Ramifications

The lead story in today’s New York Times, “A House Panel Will Try Rangel in Ethics Cases,” describes a new finding by a House investigative panel that Representative Charles Rangel broke House ethics rules by accepting rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem as a gift significantly below market value and that he preserved a tax loophole worth half a billion dollars to a company that promised to donate money to build an educational center in his honor.

The article correctly notes the role of Mr. Rangel’s difficulties on the Democratic Party and its fight to maintain control of the House. Already, you have the minority leader, Mr. Boehner, criticizing Nancy Pelosi for failing to maintain the ethics of the House she pledged to reform.

On the other hand, Mr. Rangel is 80 years old and is a very proud and upright gentleman who has devoted his life to helping many of his constituents who are poor and needy in so many ways. He has not had an easy life and his ability to fight for what is right and stand up for those who have no voice is truly commendable.

The case now goes to another subcommittee to confirm the findings and then the full House committee on Standards of Official Conduct who can decide what type of punishment to recommend: from a letter of reprimand to expulsion from the House.