In a wildly unexpected move, embattled Congressman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) delivered a ringing message to members of the House on Tuesday.
“Don’t leave me swinging in the wind until November,” said Rangel during a rant that lasted over a half hour. “If you want me to resign, tell me now!”
Rangel, an Army veteran who has been in office for four decades, told Democrats to “do what you gotta do,” but reminded them that he was “the guy who was raising money in Republican districts to get you here.”
The purpose of Rangel’s charged remarks was to complain about the slow pace of House Ethics Committee proceedings against him. After weeks of speculation, the committee announced before the House adjourned last week that it would file 13 charges against the 80-year-old Democrat. However, the committee has not yet announced when a trial for Rangel will begin.
Rangel said he could not afford to pay his lawyers much longer, and pleaded for an expedited trial. He then offered explanations for the most serious charges against him.
He called his decision to use congressional stationary to solicit campaign contributions “stupid, but not corrupt.” Rangel responded to allegations that he ran a congressional office out of a private residency by pleading “guilty to not being sensitive.” He also apologized for not paying closer attention to the tax liability of his vacation home in the Dominican Republic.
“Don’t let this happen to you,” Rangel warned his colleagues.