Posted on 11/16/2010 9:08:37 AM PST by markomalley
The ethics case against Rep. Charlie Rangel concluded Monday, after the clearly angered Democrat from New York walked out of the hearing and the ethics committee decided that it already had enough "indisputable" evidence to decide quickly, and in secret, whether Rangle is guilty of 13 ethics charges against him.
The panel's decision to forgo days of testimony by dozens of witnesses cuts short what would have likely been a highly publicized and embarrassing trial for both Rangel and House Democrats, who won a majority in the House in 2006, in part, by promising a more ethical Congress.
Now in the last days of their majority, Democrats also face a second ethics trial this month, this one for Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who is accused of using her influence as a member of the House Financial Services Committee to secure a federal bailout for her husband's bank.
In Rangel's case, the eight-member, bipartisan committee decided not to pursue a full trial based on a rule that allows members to accept the evidence they already have as uncontested facts instead, a senior ethics committee aide said.
Rangel's hearing went on without him after he stormed out. Rangel left the hearing within the first hour, angry that the committee would not give him time to get a new lawyer. His previous attorneys quit after Rangel couldn't continue to pay legal bills that had already hit $2 million over two years.
"I don't think it's fair that I participate in any type of proceeding, if in fact what you are basically telling me, that the political calendar will not allow you enough time to allow me to get a lawyer at this crucial point in my life," Rangel said before walking out of the hearing.
Committee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., pointed out that Rangel had more than a month to hire someone.
Rangel, the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, faces charges ranging from improper use of congressional stationery to finessing favorable legislation for several big companies in exchange for large donations to a school in his name. He is also accused of improper use of a rent-stabilized apartment in his Harlem district and of failing to report on his taxes 17 years of income earned from a beach villa in the Dominican Republic.
If the panel finds Rangel guilty of one or more charges, it will hold a public hearing to determine his punishment, ranging from an admonishment to expulsion from Congress.
But based on testimony provided by the ethics panel's top lawyer, it's unlikely the committee will vote to toss out the 20-term lawmaker.
Ethics committee general counsel Blake Chisam said he believes Rangel's tax omissions and other actions amount mostly to sloppy bookkeeping and not corruption.
"I see no evidence of corruption," Chisam admitted under questioning by panel member G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., a Rangel defender. "I believe that the congressman, quite frankly, was overzealous in many of the things that he did, and at least sloppy in his personal finances."
When Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, asked if "sloppiness is a defense," Chisam responded, "I don't believe it's a defense at all. In fact, I believe that it's a violation of the rule."
I bet they slap his wrist real good.
Fox just had some video, sounded like he has been convicted on 11 of 13 charges? Panel going back into closed, executive, super-secret session now...Charlie the Tuna likely to get triple secret probation???
This inquiry is a farce.
They cut it short to keep it out of the News Cycles.
Just wait until the Maxine Waters circus starts!!
My gut tells me the whole event has been staged by the democrats and the ancient Congressman from Harlem.
Now for a pat on the wrist.
Rangel is caught, no doubt about it. Therefore, by walking out under the excuse of “No representation”, he can make the case to the voters that he was railroaded and the charges were bogus.
With no testimony, there is no proof for the record. Since the Dems lost their chairmanship positions, what is there to take from Charlie?
He will be admonished or whatever they call it. He will go on representing his district in the same crooked fashion he always has. This is why the rush for the trial and not postponing it till after the new Congress is sworn in. They could have done that, but an ethics committee chaired by Republicans? Rangel would have been kicked out of Congress and possibly criminally prosecuted.
This way the Kabuki Theater puts on the show and everything goes on as normal in the swamp.
Exactly. The whole thing is a stage show to make the ‘rats on the committee look tough and unbiased, while Rangel will get to decry the minimalistic punishment meted out as grossly unfair.
It's all theater. They didn't want any testimony, they just want to bury this before the new Republican majority is seated. Same with Maxine.
They’ll do the same thing with Waters. I can’t imagine a court allowing someone accused of a crime, to walk out of the court room, saying I need more time to raise money for an attorney. But then Congressional criminals have more rights than the average.
Quote: “I see no evidence of corruption,” Chisam admitted under questioning by panel member G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., a Rangel defender. “I believe that the congressman, quite frankly, was overzealous in many of the things that he did, and at least sloppy in his personal finances.”
It is only corruption when a Republican does it. When a democrat does it, it is just good, clean, all American fun. By “fun” I mean like the kind of fun you have playing one of those new fangled reality video games where you are a gangster. That kind of fun.
When an normal taxpayer does it, it's a federal crime.
Can someone report Rangel to the IRS using the anonymous tip line? Maybe they can use one of their shiny new tax-payer paid Remington 870s to go collect the back taxes this cheat owes.
The play has already been written aand the players have only to play their parts.
Charlie will come out smelling, but that’s about the extent of it.
Bad, Charlie, bad! Now go back and take your seat.
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