Rangel wrist-slap hearing convenes; House ethics chief counsel recommends censure; Rep. Lewis plays the race-baiting stooge; Charlie chokes up: I am not a crook moment; Update: Ethics panel endorses censure, 9-1
The House Ethics Committee is now holding an open hearing on corruptocrat Democrat Charlie Rangel’s sanctions for violating 11 of 13 ethics charges.
Rangel is in the room. He is flanked by Democrat Rep. John Lewis.
You can watch the livestream at CSPAN3 online now. More from CSPAN3:
After the committee meets in an open session, they will proceed behind closed doors to vote on the disciplinary measures. They will then send a final report to the U.S. House so that action they recommend may be taken. Rangel, who was recently reelected to his 20th term in office, is not expected to face the most severe punishment, which would be expulsion from the House, but other penalties range from a reprimand to paying a fine. The 11 violations include filing flawed financial-disclosure statements and the misuse of a rent-controlled apartment.
To repeat: Deliberations will take place behind closed doors.
Long live transparency!
Rangel pleads for “fairness” and “mercy,” after whining about being “smeared:”
Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel admitted he made “mistakes,” then claimed he was “smeared,” and finally pleaded for “a drop of fairness and mercy” in a rambling statement Thursday.
“I have been smeared with allegations of corruption and personal gain,” Rangel said.
Rangel released his statement just before he was to learn his punishment from the House panel that found him guilty two days ago of 11 ethics violations.
“I was and am disappointed that the Committee reached its decision without affording me the right to adequately defend myself with the aid of counsel,” Rangel wrote.
The 80-year-old lawmaker neglected to mention that it was his decision to show up for his ethics trial without a lawyer – and then boycott the proceedings after the panel refused his request for a delay.
Self-delusion in full bloom at Rangel’s site: “No evidence of corruption.”
Leave your predictions on what degree of wrist-slap the House ethics panel will recommend…
***
GOP Rep. Jo Bonner blasts Rangel’s “arrogance.”
“It is painful for me to say this to a man whom I personally respect, but Mr. Rangel can blame no one other than himself for the position he finds himself in…he should only look in the mirror for who to blame.”
House ethics panel chief counsel Blake Chisam reviews past punishments issued by committee ranging from expulsion to letters of reprimand.
Chisam blasts Rangel’s “sloppiness” and “carelessness” in filing his own taxes and public disclosure documents while overseeing tax laws for everyone else. “Public office is public trust. [Rangel] violated that trust.”
Chisam: “Reprimand would not be inconsistent with precedent…however…something more than a reprimand but less than a censure would not be appropriate…we cannot ignore the fact that [Rangel] was ranking chairman…as a result, I respectfully submit that this committee…recommend…censure…”
12:56pm Eastern Rangel has been rambling for the past 15 minutes or so, at times defiant, saying he doesn’t want to relitigate the ethic trial he skipped out on — and then proceeding to relitigate it.
Rangel says he doesn’t want to be “self-serving” & praise himself for his 50 years in government, so he brought Rep. John Lewis to do it for him. But before turning over the mic, Rangel pats himself on the back.
John Lewis on Rangel: “I don’t know the facts in this case…” But proceeds to extol Rangel for marching for civil rights, anyway.
Ian Schwartz at RCP has the embarrassing vid.
1:30pm Eastern Panel is now in executive session behind closed doors to determine final degree of wrist-slap.
2:59pm Eastern Rangel gave closing statement before panel re-adjourned to decide on sanctions. Pleaded not to be labeled “corrupt.” Invoked God, apologized for any embarrassment. Crocodile tears welled up in his eyes. Pity party to be continued.
7:08pm Eastern. Ethics panel recommends censure, 9-1.
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My money’s on the dreaded stern letter of reprimand. That would teach Charlie to not cheat.
He should be in jail, not Congress.
This has been going on for 40 years! At what point do you lose your respect, Rep. Bonner?
Chawly will be given a stern whipping with a feather boa and then given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The first Congressman who has not done things equal to or worse than Charlie can cast the first stone. That’s most likely Ron Paul, Michelle Bachman, Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, and maybe 7 or 8 others…….certainly no Democrats.
I am still trying to figure out why he paid some legal some shister lawyers 2 million dollars.
Errah, I’m sorry, I have noting to say here. I just vomit in my mouth a little every time I scoll down and I see Tina Tchen picture. Is it just me??!!
Sorry, but Rep. Bonner’s response isn’t much of a blast.
A blast is more like…
“It is painful to see another corrupt member within the Congressional body. Mr. Rangel has scammed the system for years and deserves nothing more than to be removed from Congress. Enough is enough of the blatant misuse of power by this body.”
Doing his best fiduciary duty to spread the wealth.
Errah,
Same thing except the door hardware is different. The Architect of the Capitol should be sued for negligence!
Rangel, you can either have fairness or mercy, but not both.
Is Charlie Rangel to become the Marion Barry of the US Congress?
“B*tch set me up!”
Now we get to hear the whining from Chowlee and his corrupt “bro’s” in Congress about how he was unfairly targeted. If any of us here had violated strict ethics rules dictated by our employers, we would be fired, fined, and most likely, locked up. Please America….we can’t take any more corrupt people elected to the Congress–show some spine!
I think he compounds his violations by smearing others and not taking responsibility. He should probably be censured for the violation because of his being on the “tax” committee while doing this but his inability to accept responsibility, and more importantly, his efforts to tar his accusers are reprehensible and warrant expulsion.
I vote for: Hot tar, feathering and riding a rail out of town.
Reality: nothing will happen as most of the Dems have something to hide (and many RINO’s as well). At best he should be forced to resign or voted out of office. Will. Never. Happen.
It always seems to me that all the repubs “personally” like the demonuts – but that street doesn’t run both ways. The dimbos will just as soon shank you and then ask for ‘bipartisanship’ and mercy when caught.
Rangel: What’d they say?
Lewis: Buckwheats!
Is he the younger brother of Cab Calloway?
Just another example of why our government has failed. Criminals run the show. Where is the cry for TERM LIMITS?
No ice cream for lunch.
Now O’im just a victim of circumstance and O’ive done everything to elude and dodge everything I have done wrong and blah, blah, blah —–
Ha-HA! No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Give me the feather!
Wouldn’t do any good to expel him anyway. The morons in his district would just re-elect him to fill the vacant seat anyway.
I’ll start. Two terms each . . .one in office, one in jail.
We don’t need term limits; we need a citizenry who will vote the bums out of office!
Talk about bad timing for Rangel. If the Dems had maintained control of the House next year I bet his punishment would have been a promotion to a High Level Chair position. I guess Pelosi will just have to create yet another leadership position to reward Rangel with.
Tina Tchen could actually cure me of my Asian fetish. Wow, that is something else….
Rangel’s years of military service and his contribution to the senate will be referred to when punishment is considered. He will be given next to no punishment and he will keep his huge pension and benefits entitlement into his retirement. One will only hear about him if he is caught with a buxom beauty or after being pulled over for a driving infraction. He will be like a retired Mafia boss.
No one was expecting them to let us witness the corruption.
It’s perfectly transparent that Democrats are totally corrupt, yet their constituents regularly reelect them. Until we do away with racial gerrymandering we will be plagued with Congresscritters like Rangel, Jackson-Lee, Waters and that guy from Georgia who thinks Guam is going to tip over.
I don’t think they’d be that harsh to one the their own, especially a black one.
If anyone wonders why congress’s ratings are so low, this is a great example, no one trusts the crooks that make our laws. And why all the laws?
———–
Ya know I really get sick and tired of all the comity that goes on up there in D.C. what a bunch of phony, two faces slugs. I’ll never forget what and how Cheney told that commie bastard from Vermont what he could do with himself.
Chawly wants to be declared “Not Corrupt” in any documentation regarding whatever judgment the House Panel deems. And I have a Septic Tank that’s screaming to be declared “ It does not stink when the cover is pulled off”
Love the comments by leftists today at their sites regarding Rangel. How many morons can write “Meanwhile, we let war criminals go on book tours” before they discover they are not even original?
Thirty years in the comfy chair!
Would love to know how much back tax he really owes.
Remember, the pittance he did pay only goes back 3 years and there is no penalty and interest assessed.
Time to get the Rangel Rule legislation discharged in the House.
Well, at least we can take comfort in the fact that having a Republican support Charlie would be as rare as seeing Kanye West at a David Allan Coe concert.
Hey why not the same sentence that a mere citizen would get from the IRS.
And they wonder why the John Q Public is ready to tar and feather them as they boot their a$$’s out the door…
Rep. Lewis, friend of Charlie, gets one thing correct in the video: he “doesn’t know the facts” but supports his brotha anyway. This is a typical trait in Congressional liberal jackassery: they don’t know the facts but vote for “the folks” (Obamacare).
Charlie Rangel is the poster-child for corruptocrats. Long may he wane.
He will get a wrist slap… if that.
If censure means Pelosi will have to dress him down in a session of congress, you can be she will do nothing except praise for poor victim of circumstance, Chucky Rangel.
Other than the media coverage that makes Rangel looks bad, there will be no consequences for him. None.
obea-dork will prolly name him best person in the world. In my mind, that would be cruel and inhuman.
The board? They will pull out some form letter, sign it and give him a missionary hand shake while apologizing.
Rangel now qualified to receive an Oscar or a car salesman of the year award!
How pathetic.
***
I remember corrupt President Richard Nixon looking into the camera and declaring (aka lying), “I am not a crook!”. And it didn’t work out very well for him with Congress.
***
It will work out a lot better for Chollie Rangel. No real punishment, no IRS audits, no seizure of his property and bank accounts, no jail time, no fines. It helps to be a Black Congress Critter. Let’s make him the Ethics Committee Chairman.
***
If it were me–I’d be picking chiles at La Tuna Federal Pen. Some people get more equal justice than others do.
***
John Bibb
***
Words only a crook will say.
Awww, Good time Charlies’ got the blues.
Help please!
What does censure actually mean? What would happen?
Also, what is a lame duck session?
Thanks…I’m still learning.
Okay I need help here! What the @#$%^ does it take to get kicked out of Congress these days?! How loathesome of a festering pustule do you have to be?! I’ve seen farting dogs receive more shame and reprimands than this 20 term corruptocratic piece of rat sputum! This skating POS travesty is enough to make a person take a long toke on the gas pipe! Other than that, I have no strong feelings.
Rogue,
I think you have to be caught with a dead girl or a live boy…..at least it used to be that way, could be those are acceptable now, at least for Democrats.
Was he channeling Nixon?
Fred Sanford
From the linked article:
So, one hand washes the other, eh?
And it’s interesting to note that Rep. G.K. Butterfield is the Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Rep. Butterfield, I have to ask you, in all seriousness:
Are you judging Rep. Rangel NOT by the content of his character, but by the color of his skin?
If so, do you realize that you couldn’t get any farther away from the dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Your actions, Rep. Butterfield, are the absolute antithesis of the Reverend Dr. King’s dream.
On November 18th, 2010 at 9:06 pm, CC said:
Censure in the United States
It’s a wrist slap. A public condemnation, but nothing more… no fines, no penalties, no loss of committee assignments, etc.
A lame duck session is the session going on right now… a session that is after the November elections, but before the newly elected members are seated in January. Approximately 60 Democrats in the House are “Lame ducks” because they lost their re-election bid, and will leave office after this last session of the 111th Congress.
This is the last opportunity for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker, and for Democrats as a majority in the House, to pass whatever they want in the House before the Republicans take majority control in the House in January.
Of course, for anything the House passes to become law, it will also have to pass the Senate and not be vetoed by the President. But, since Obama is acting as pResident, the key question is:
Whatever passes the Senate will likely be quickly passed in the House and signed by Obama.
Next up — the Maxine Waters show — this should be a complete joke but will be entertaing in a twisted sort of way.
The sad part is that he may, in fact, believe in his own innocence.
He has been in Congress for so long, wheeling and dealing, scamming, lying, cheating, manipulating, and on and on, that he has lost any sense of reality. When caught it can’t possibly be true in his fantasy world.
Will Chawlie also be sent to beddie-bye without any supper? Will SanFranNan change his little dye-dee?
To: ITookTheRedPill
Thanks for the explanation.
Because he had campaign funds from which to pay.
Would someone explaine to me why Spike gets a jail sentence and Rangle gets his hand smacked?