Reaction On Capitol Hill To Rangel Charges Mixed

By Alexa Gitler - Talk Radio News Service 

Even after the House Ethics Committee charged Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) with over a dozen rules violations, the embattled former Ways and Means Chair continued to voice his innocence. 

“Even though they are serious charges, I’m prepared to prove that the only thing I’ve ever had in my 50 years of public service is service,” Rangel told reporters Thursday night. 

Today on Capitol Hill, however, Rangel received mixed reviews from folks.

“As important as Rangel is to the Democrats and for someone who has served so long, he has deeply disappointed the people who voted for him and it has put serious distrust in the Democratic Party, said James Davis, a resident of Walhalla, South Carolina.” 

Several Democrats, even leaders like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), urged Rangel to reach a settlement with the committee to avoid the prospect of televised hearings right before the November elections. Byron, Illinois resident Susanne Smith told Talk Radio News Service that she believes Rangel’s trial will hurt the Democrats in the midterms.

“I don’t think people will really remember the outcome of this trial but it will definitely shed a lot of negative light on the Democratic Party,” she said.

Despite the laundry list of charges, some don’t believe Rangel, 80, is guilty. Mark Davidson from Germantown, Maryland said people should not rush to judgments over Rangel.

“Those are just allegations, nothing is set in stone,” he said. “In our country everyone is innocent until they are proven guilty with cold hard evidence, and people should remember that!” 

Others out there think putting Rangel on trial is a waste of taxpayer time and money.

“Yes this is important, but there are many other things going on in the world - the wars overseas, problems with our economy - that are much more important than this that our government should really be focusing on,” said Eric Cho of Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Embattled Rangel Will Stand Trial In September

Robert Hune-Kalter - Talk Radio News Service

A House Ethics Subcommittee laid out 13 charges of House rules violations this afternoon against Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), and began making preparations to hold what promises to be a highly watched trial.

Rangel had worked feverishly this week to strike a plea bargain with the committee, but ultimately came up short in that effort. Such a deal would’ve likely required the 80-year-old Rangel to admit to some wrongdoing.

The list of charges against the former Ways and Means Chairman was read by Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) and Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) who lead the investigation into Rangel’s alleged misconduct.

“The charges in the Statement of Alleged Violation relate to four general subject matters,” said Green.  “Solicitations and donations to the Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College [of] New York; errors and omissions on Rep. Rengal’s Financial Disclosure Statements; use of rent-stabilized residential apartment by respondent’s campaign committees; and failure to report and pay taxes on rental income on Respondent’s Punta Cana beach villa.”

Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-Texas) both agreed that the trial would be necessary for the House to regain the trust of the American public.

“The American people deserve to hear the truth in this case and the charges against [Rangel],” said McCaul.  “[House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] herself has said that we are entering into an era of transparency and accountability. I agree. Let us begin today, let justice be served.

Pelosi Insists She Has Drained The Swamp

Robert Hune-Kalter - Talk Radio News Service

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) previously promised one of the most ethical Houses in years. Today, she commended the House Ethics committee hours before its hearing to possibly lay charges against embattled Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.).

“What we did when we came in was to implement the toughest ethics reform in a generation,” said Pelosi during her weekly briefing with reporters. “Are there going to be individual issues to be dealt with? Yes. I never said that there wouldn’t be, but we would have a process to deal with it.

Reporters asked the Speaker if today’s hearing at all undermined a 2006 statement she made about “draining the swamp,” referring to her pledge to cleanse the lower chamber of unethical conduct.
 
“Drain the swamp we did, because this was a terrible place,” she said. “We have made a tremendous difference and I take great pride in that.”

Rangel Steps Down From Chairmanship Position

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), who has recently been plagued by a number of ethics scandals, announced Wednesday that he will be stepping down from his chairmanship position.

“In order to avoid my colleagues having to defend me during their elections, I have ... sent a letter to [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)] asking her to grant me a leave of absence,” Rangel said during a morning press conference.

Rangel said that he intends to be absent from the position until the House Ethics Committee completes its investigations.

The 79 year old Democrat added that he had offered to resign his chairmanship previously.

“From the very beginning I had offered this to Speaker Pelosi,” Rangel stated.

Rangel has been found at fault by the Ethics Committee over a Congressional junket to the Caribbean. The committee has not yet issued a statement over concerns that Rangel holds undeclared real estate and has used Congressional stationary to seek funding for a project that bears his name.

Boehner: Public Option As Unpopular As A Garlic Milkshake

Justin Duckham-Talk Radio News Service

Republicans have attacked the public option with phrases like “death panels” and “government takeover," but House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) invoked a new term Thursday: “garlic milkshake.”

“I’m still trying to find the first American to talk to who is in favor of the public option,” Boehner said during a press conference. “This is about as unpopular as a garlic milkshake.”

“I haven’t tried it,” Boehner added.

The Minority Leader criticized a number of other items ranked high on Congressional Democrats’ agenda, including cap-and-trade legislation, which Boehner claimed would be a key contributors to job loss.

Boehner also touched upon the recent proposal from Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) to remove Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) from his chairmanship position with the House Ways and Means Committee.

“It’s improper for Chairman Rangel to remain in his position with all of the influence that he has while the serious allegations remain hanging,” Boehner said. “Given the severity of these charges, Democrat leaders should ask Chairman Rangel to step aside.”

The Ohio Republican took issue with President Barack Obama’s decision to travel to Copenhagen to rally support for bringing the Olympics to Chicago as well.

“While the President is in Copenhagen tomorrow, the American people are going to wake up and find out that hundreds and thousands of more Americans have lost their jobs,” said Boehner.

The Minority Leader reiterated his desire to have General Stanley McChrystal, who commands U.S. forces in Afghanistan, testify before Congress.