By Gerald Helguero: Subscribe to Gerald's RSS feed
July 30, 2010 1:44 AM EDT
House lawmakers on Thursday unveiled 13 detailed counts of ethics violations against Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NY, after a two-year probe, launching proceedings that could put their colleague on trial.
The alleged violations relate to various financial matters including improper solicitations and donations for a center bearing Rangel's name at City College of New York, financial disclosure statements, use of rent-stabilized apartments by his campaign committees and taxes involving Rangel's Dominican Republic villa.
It would be the first such trial in the House since 2002 when former Rep. Jim Traficant, D-OH, was tried for bribery.
The allegations come nearly two years after Rangel requested an investigation. The panel, which must submit evidence Rangel broke House rules, said there is "substantial reason" to believe violations had occurred. The violations all allegedly took place while he was in office.
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With the public's faith in Congress at an all time low, the stakes are high, and not only for Rangel.
"[C]redibility is exactly what is at stake here. The very credibility of the House of Representatives itself before the American people," said Rep. Michael McCaul R-TX.
"During the course of the investigation, Mr. Rangel was given multiple opportunities to settle this matter. Instead, he chose to move forward to this public trial phase," said Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Al, a member of the subcommittee investigating Rangel. Bonner said Rangel "may have broken the rules of the House and brought discredit to this body."
Rangel allegedly used his office staff and supplies at taxpayer expense to make the solicitations and met with corporate executives to build the center.
"He did not profit economically, nor did he ever link his work for CCNY with matters before the Ways & Means Committee," Rangel's attorneys said in a statement released by the Committee today along with the allegations.
"In retrospect he recognizes that the public would have been better served if he had consulted the Standards Committee staff in advance regarding his desire to help CCNY," the attorney's said.
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