Rangel Found Guilty Of Several Ethics Violations

A House Ethics subcommittee has convicted Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) on 12 of 13 charges of breaking House rules. The charges against Rangel ranged from failing to pay taxes on rental income from his vacation home in the Dominican to using a rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan as a campaign office.

(Click here to read the full list of charges against Rangel)

The Committee deliberated for a little over an hour on Tuesday morning, but Rangel, who walked out on yesterday’s hearing in protest of not being able to afford a lawyer, was not present. Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) read the subcommittee’s verdicts shortly before noon.

The full House Ethics Committee will now hold a sanctions hearing to determine what Rangel’s punishment will be. It is presumed that the committee will propose condemning the conduct of the longtime Harlem Democrat. The committee has the power to expel Rangel from Congress, but it is unlikely that will happen. Following that, the full House must vote on the committee’s recommendation.

This is a developing story…