Congress Convicts Rangel
Rep. Charlie Rangel may as well have stuck around for the full hearing. An ethics subcommittee convicted the veteran lawmaker Tuesday of 11 counts of naughty, having to do with fundraising, cheap rent and taxes. Rangel's colleagues could decide to give him the boot, but he's likelier to get off with just a reprimand.
Rep. Charlie Rangel may as well have stuck around for the full hearing. An ethics subcommittee convicted the veteran lawmaker Tuesday of 11 counts of naughty, having to do with fundraising, cheap rent and taxes. Rangel’s colleagues could decide to give him the boot, but he’s likelier to get off with just a reprimand.
You can read about this story anywhere, but The Guardian’s take is particularly amusing. At the end of its story, the British newspaper appears confused that Americans could be bothered with one case of influence peddling when corruption in Congress is so … normal. — PZS
(Get a take from this side of the Atlantic over at The New York Times.)
Dig, Root, GrowThe Guardian:
An ethics watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called on Rangel to resign. But some may be surprised by the conviction given that senators and House of Representatives members routinely accept large campaign contributions from lobby groups and vested interests.
America’s healthcare industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars to block the introduction of public medical insurance during Congress’s deliberation of healthcare reform last year. The single largest recipient of political healthcare donations was senator Max Baucus, the chairman of the committee drafting the legislation.
This year, we’re all on shaky ground, and the need for independent journalism has never been greater. A new administration is openly attacking free press — and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
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By the time Rep Jo Bonner, the top-ranking Republican on the House ethics committee, was halfway through his commentary about the alleged wrongdoings of veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel (above), it was clear that what was at stake was (continued).
Making a move that, while certainly bold, may not help his case much in the end, Rep. Charles Rangel decided to peace out of a House ethics committee meeting as members deliberated over charges of ethics violations against Rangel himself.
In the lead-up to November's midterm elections, there have been signs in some states that moderate Republican candidates might face considerable challenges from tea party contenders. (continued)
Rep. Maxine Waters, a stalwart progressive voice in the House for nearly 20 years, is defending herself against charges that she improperly intervened to help bail out a bank with ties to her husband. Waters released a statement denying any wrongdoing, saying she was merely working on behalf of minority banks.
On Friday, a House subcommittee decided to dish out an official reprimand to Rep. Charles Rangel as punishment for running afoul of ethics rules, but his fate still remains to be decided by a panel of his peers.
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