Charlie Rangel Goes Too Far Playing the Victim in Ethics Trial

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I did not hear him raise racism. After 2 year investigation they had him dead to rights with paperwork and 40 witnesses.
He had a month to get new council but did not.
His cry was he served for 50 years. He has been found guilty before on other charges. Just might have new charges over pac money he gave to his lawyers.
All Fox experts, both liberal and conservative, said he would not be fired. ..

Bill Hedges of MO 10:36PM November 16, 2010

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rep-charles-rangel-found-guilty-violating-house-ethics/story?id=12159790
I wonder if he hollared "Racism"???

Danny of MA 8:55PM November 16, 2010

“Rangel Used PAC Money for Legal Defense”
“New York Rep. Charles Rangel, whose ethics trial starts Monday, appears to have improperly used political-action committee money to pay for his defense, The New York Post reported Sunday.
“Rangel tapped his National Leadership PAC for $293,000 to pay his main legal-defense team this year. He took another $100,000 from the PAC in 2009 to pay lawyer Lanny Davis. Two legal experts told The Post such spending is against House rules. "It's a breach of congressional ethics," one campaign-finance lawyer said“.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/14/rangel-used-pac-money-legal-defense/

Bill Hedges of MO 1:23PM November 16, 2010

What he was thinking: "And because I don't have a million dollars of other people's money to pay my counsel."
Out of touch? You betcha.

David of LA 1:19PM November 16, 2010

Like he didn't go to far with his 13 or so ethic violations ??
The scary part is he's still there .
Can people really be this stupid , stupid question .

Hunter of WI 9:48PM November 15, 2010

Funny, I don't have a problem disliking glib, phony crooks like Rangel - or Obama.

R.L. Schaefer of CA 9:22PM November 15, 2010

It is unlikely that his lawyers back out due to lack of funds on his part if he already paid them $2 mil. Rangel is likeable but is often untruthful (since that is what has got in this trouble, at least in part). The people of his district may well vote for him after he is dead. After all some folks in Louisiana years ago voted in a Democrat legislator who was serving time in prison at the time they re-elected him and later the state had to call a special election at a large cost to the taxpayers to elect someone else since there is a law that the representative must be able to represent his/her constituents during the legislative session (and of course he could not since he was in the pokey!) Somebody needs to tell this Congressman to resign. That would be best for him and for his constituents.

Southern Patriot of LA 6:53PM November 15, 2010

If the GOP and the Dems really want to do something for We The People, they will immediately set up some term limits and disavow special interests.
But... we know this won't happen. Rangel is a prime example of a how public servants become a burden to the system and the people once they cross the line to being career politicians.
Our government is corrupt. The system is being abused. We the People are getting screwed.

Mike Franklin of AL 5:46PM November 15, 2010

Sometimes lawyers will back out because they find their clients are lying to them. How do we know that that isn't the case here, and why should we believe Rangel (who while likable has admitted not being completely honest) when he says that legal fees are the reason why his former lawyers backed out. I doubt the lawyers would confirm that Rangel's lying to them is the reason they backed out, because of client confidentiality rules, but I wouldn't just accept that as the reason because Rangel says it is.

Joe of NJ 4:19PM November 15, 2010