Rangel to face House trial on ethics violations

From Carol D. Loennig of The Washington Post on July 22:

A House ethics subcommittee announced Thursday that it found Charles B. Rangel, the powerful Democratic congressman from New York, violated congressional ethics rules and that it will prepare for an ethics trial, likely beginning in September. The committee said it will make the details of his alleged violations public on Thursday of next week.

Rangel has been under the ethics committee's microscope since early 2008, regarding reports and evidence that he may have used his House position to benefit his personal financial interests. Two of the most serious probes have focused on Rangel's failure to declare $239,000 to $831,000 in assets on his disclosure forms, and his effort to fundraise for a private center named after him at City College of New York using his congressional letterhead.

In March, Rangel reluctantly stepped down as chair of the powerful Ways and Means committee -- a week after the ethics committee ruled in a separate case that he had broken congressional gift rules by accepting trips to Caribbean conferences that were financed by corporate interests. The panel said at the minimum Rangel's staff knew about the corporate backing for the 2007 and 2008 trips -- and the boss was therefore responsible.

Rangel said Thursday that he welcomed the opportunity to respond to the allegations. "At long last, sunshine has pierced through this cloud that has been over my head for more than two years," he said when asked about the panel's decision.

Sources familiar with the case said Rangel could have avoided this showdown by accepting the findings of the subcommittee. As required by House rules, Rangel was briefed on the allegations against him in recent weeks, and denied them.

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