Rangel recuses himself from his ethics hearing

[Jagermeister]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20101115/pl_yblog_theticket/rangel-recuses-self-from-ethics-hearing


The House ethics trial for New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel is now missing one important figure in the case: Charlie Rangel.

The congressman showed up without his lawyers for the first day of the proceeding, saying that the committee had dragged the inquiry out so long that he could not afford representation.

He asked for a delay, but the request was denied.


Rangel, who faces 13 ethics violations, said he had paid $2 million over the past two years for lawyers but could not afford the estimated $1 million in legal feels required for the present House ethics trial.

"Fifty years of public service are …on the line. ... I truly believe I'm not being treated fairly," Rangel said. "I am entitled to a lawyer during this hearing."
Rangel blasted the committee, saying that he would have preferred that the panel settle the charges against him before his Democratic primary or even before the general election.

A House investigation concluded in June that Rangel improperly solicited donations for his center and New York's City College, failed to provide complete financial disclosure information, and improperly used a rent-controlled apartment for campaign purposes.

Committee rules state that a member facing violations may choose to hire counsel but is not required to do so. But Rangel said he would be at a disadvantage without representation.

"I've been a lawyer long enough to know it's very very unwise for any person … to be his own lawyer at a proceeding like this," Rangel told the committee.

He further denounced the committee by saying that it had claimed it lacked time to begin the trial, yet that the panel is now suggesting its members would find it convenient to quickly resolve the matter. Rangel said he had been offered free representation but had been informed that such advocacy would constitute a gift -- and a violation of House rules.

Rangel suggested he would recuse himself, so members moved into a closed session to decide how to proceed after this surprise development.

They returned less than an hour later to announce that the trial would proceed. But they also laid into Rangel's lawyers, saying that Rangel's legal team had ditched the lawmaker on the eve of the hearing.

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) expressed his "astonishment" with the litigation specialists Rangel had retained at Zuckerman Spaeder "for taking the money, draining the money and then kicking their client to the side of the road."

[Jagermeister]

Poor guy. :(

Not really fuck him!

[ace diamond]

Serves the bastard right.
Poetic fucking justice.
Karmic retribution is a motherfucker.

[Nitro Express]

This guy was cocky as shit a few months ago. He thought he was untouchable.

[Nitro Express]

The American people are finally pissed. We are going to see more politicians bite the dust. It's time they get a taste of how it feels to be fucked over.

[Jagermeister]

House ethics panel: Rep. Rangel violated rules
WASHINGTON – Rep. Charles Rangel, once one of the most influential House members, was convicted Tuesday on 11 counts of breaking ethics rules and now faces punishment.

An ethics panel of eight House peers deliberated over two days before delivering a jarring blow to the 20-term New York Democrat's career. The 80-year-old Rangel was charged with 13 counts of financial and fundraising misconduct.

Only last spring, Rangel held the exalted post of Ways and Means chairman, a position that made him the House's main writer of tax legislation. The Harlem congressman was not present when the verdict was announced.

The full ethics committee will now conduct a hearing on the appropriate punishment for Rangel, the silver-haired, gravelly-voiced and sartorially flashy veteran of 20 terms in the House.

The next step for the committee is to make a recommendation on punishment to the House.

Possible sanctions include a House vote deploring Rangel's conduct, a fine and denial of privileges.

The congressional panel, sitting as a jury, found that Rangel had used House stationery and staff to solicit money for a New York college center named after him. It also concluded he solicited donors for the center with interests before the Ways and Means Committee, leaving the impression the money could influence official actions.

He also was found guilty of failing to disclose at least $600,000 in assets and income in a series of inaccurate reports to Congress; using a rent-subsidized New York apartment for a campaign office, when it was designated for residential use; and failure to report to the IRS rental income from a housing unit in a Dominican Republic resort.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House ethics panel has found Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel of New York guilty on 11 counts of breaking House rules.

The full ethics committee will next conduct a hearing on the appropriate punishment for the former chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. The committee will then make a recommendation to the House.

Possible punishments include a House vote deploring Rangel's conduct, a fine and denial of privileges.

The eight-member ethics panel had sat as a jury to judge Rangel's conduct. The 80-year-old congressman from Harlem was charged with 13 counts of financial and fundraising wrongdoing

[Jagermeister]

:lmao:

hahahahahah!
Guilty!!!!!!!!!!!!


" I did nothing wrong." Bullshit!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_rangel_ethics_trial

[ELVIS]

He belongs behind bars...

[Nitro Express]

He belongs behind bars...

90% of our law makers belong behind bars.

[jacksmar]

Agreed, Chaz isn't the lone butthole in a sea of shit.
Fuck him anyway and everyone of the shit stained tards that voted for Ubama care.:finger33:

[GAR]

The eight-member ethics panel

.. of Democrats, right? Yeah, watch him be reprimanded and scolded not to do this again.

Nothing's gonna happen. Too bad for Harlem they've kept him for 4 decades.

[jacksmar]

Fuck Harlem and CR voters. Harlem voters are too stupid to know they been getting FUCKED by CR daily. Fidel Castro financed CR's trips to Cuba and the commie libs in Harlem, the dumbest sheep, next to the needle providers in Seattle and the pro Abortion faggot elite Democrats, don't know the simple truth.

Rangel is a traitor and should be hanged along side, Reid, Pelosi, and Ubama.

By the way commie lib assholes, the existence of communism isn't "passe" nor has political
dissent against communism been discredited and I would add:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjSdEKX8jIo

[Nickdfresh]

.. of Democrats, right? Yeah, watch him be reprimanded and scolded not to do this again.

Nothing's gonna happen. Too bad for Harlem they've kept him for 4 decades.

Why does GAR have to post something I actually agree with. Since congress is a festering shithole of legalized,nefarious corruption euphemistically entitled "lobbying," even the most adamant right wing Republican will give their colleague a big hug at the end of the day. So, if they get caught, they too can endure a vicious slap-on-the-wrist...

[Nickdfresh]

Fuck Harlem and CR voters. Harlem voters are too stupid to know they been getting FUCKED by CR daily. Fidel Castro financed CR's trips to Cuba and the commie libs in Harlem, the dumbest sheep, next to the needle providers in Seattle and the pro Abortion faggot elite Democrats, don't know the simple truth.

Rangel is a traitor and should be hanged along side, Reid, Pelosi, and Ubama.

By the way commie lib assholes, the existence of communism isn't "passe" nor has political
dissent against communism been discredited and I would add:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjSdEKX8jIo

Says the douchebag that auto-votes for scumbags...oh, the irony...

[Nitro Express]

Why does GAR have to post something I actually agree with. Since congress is a festering shithole of legalized,nefarious corruption euphemistically entitled "lobbying," even the most adamant right wing Republican will give their colleague a big hug at the end of the day. So, if they get caught, they too can endure a vicious slap-on-the-wrist...

If someone nuked Washington DC and leveled the place, it probably would improve the nation.

[SunisinuS]

Glenn Beck's wet dream of a Police Force.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJaAe7sYoCA&feature=fvw

I think the Fat Guy taking pictures is Rush Limbaugh.

While Rangel arranges the "ride home".

The best comment so far:

Next time a cop wants me to go to Jail...I will respond "No..it's ok...I policed myself!" and show him this video. I am sure I will be sleeping my bed that night.

[SunisinuS]

History Of Fascism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU1fPUxGevU

You Right and Left people crack me up.

Let's see...the Right has killed how many vs. the Left? If Mussolinni started it...and Stalin Finished it. Count. Let's hope neither of you people are ever in charge again. Your reactions to: The Other Side....have left the earth in ruins. "Bloody Fascism" appears only shortly after the intro....same narrator...just not renamed.

See, Selfishness is what you both own. Fascism and Communism.

Thanks for Nothing.

[knuckleboner]

If someone nuked Washington DC and leveled the place, it probably would improve the nation.

but not the knuckleboner's skin tone...


and GAR and Nick, it's 4 democrats and 4 republicans on the panel. true bipartisanship.

though, if you're looking for criminal penalties, that's up to the civilian authorities, not the congress. congress will sanction him. it's up to the DA to decide whether to jail him.

[SunisinuS]

And it is always nice (for me at least) to end on a song (ask Blaze why I never embed...Love the Army):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHJzysAWSq4&feature=related

Wiki the whole History and you will see why polotics are Old Men's Gossip.

Rock on.

[Nitro Express]

We have a far left liberal president and many say he's a communist but he's a fascist as Bush was a fascist. If corporations and banks are involved in the takeover it's fascism. It's communism if the government seizes the assets of all public and private business and incorporates it into the government. Both are closely related and the result is the same. Lot's of death and ruined countries in the wake of it.

We aren't to the mass genocide yet, they haven't seized enough power and the public is onto them. The citizens are just fed up with the nonsense but haven't lost their heads to the level where the government has an excuse to crack down; plus, they haven't filled the military up with enough foreigners to make their move yet.

[Nitro Express]

But any sector addicted to welfare for their lively hood will go communist in a heart beat. Hell they already are communist. Their only purpose in life is to take the bus to the polls and keep their token crook (community organizer) in office.

[sadaist]

What I think would be an appropriate penalty. Slap his wrist publicly, make him pay a fine, let him finish out his term, but he is not allowed to run for office again. Retirement at end of current term. Get some new blood in these seats.

Term limits need to be put in place anyways. The longer these guys sit in office, the more corrupt they become, and the more friends they make to help cover the shit up.

[BigBadBrian]

Term limits need to be put in place anyways. The longer these guys sit in office, the more corrupt they become, and the more friends they make to help cover the shit up.

Agreed. Two terms for Senator and five for Congressmen.

Also, that piece of shit Rangel needs to be in jail. Refer to Duke Cunningham for a Republican example. If one of us did the shit Rangel did, we'd be behind bars.

[Nitro Express]

What I think would be an appropriate penalty. Slap his wrist publicly, make him pay a fine, let him finish out his term, but he is not allowed to run for office again. Retirement at end of current term. Get some new blood in these seats.

Term limits need to be put in place anyways. The longer these guys sit in office, the more corrupt they become, and the more friends they make to help cover the shit up.

The welfare ratts in his district will just elect another crook. When the citizens are dependant on the government for everything, they tolerate crooks to keep the welfare checks coming.