White House: Rangel Charges 'Very Serious,' Trial is 'Right Course'

Rep. Charles Rangel should be charged and a trial date set. Also he should resign and pay back any 'perks' he recieved in office as a congressman!! Our 'elected officials' receive free meals, healthcare, dental needs are also taken care of. These costs that the taxpayers are taxed for (wait, I don't receive the 'Health care freebies', why should I pay for any of thiers?)out of the hard earned money!! Put him on trial, and if he's guilty the courts should demand restitution and sentence him a.s.a.p.!!

"Term limits". It has such a nice ring; sounds like such a panacea. But it just doesn't live up to hopes and expectations. For starters, it's the element of "let's tie our hands and save us from ourselves" that seems a bit contradictory. I.e, let's vote a rule in today that will not let us do what we very much want to do tomorrow. The term limit idea became a household political staple during FDR's 1933 to 1945 presidency when death removed him from the oval office. Even though Harry Truman, his successor, was an excellent president, had Roosevelt lived, he could arguably have won another term. Anyway, did it make sense to limit Bill Clinton to two terms by this same law? Many people on both sides of the aisle would say, in hindsight, that it turned out to be a huge mistake. Why do we suppose that we're collectively smarter about our choices today than we will be four more years down the road. "Term limits" is already inherent---a built-in at the voting booth to be exercised by common sense which shouldn't be poisoned or choked off by a self-imposed, ill-advised rule.

Who in Washington thinks they are above the law...not paying taxes, filling false reports or no reports at all, flaunting their positions and power? As times passes it seems more and more of these people, at all levels of government fell immune to the laws they passed and strong endorse. We have too many top leaders who were caught not filing proper tax reports, plus other violations.

It's time they all become accountable.

I hope that all the hoopla about the trial will not be just political posturing to please the people. It's a crying shame that politicians can do the wrong things and get away with them. If found guilty, Rangel should be kicked off and penalized like an ordinary citizen. Jail time should be given and I don't mean serving time in a plush cell with all the amenities as if he is in a hotel suite.

Wow, Dems throwing one of their own under the bus a few months before elections, and just a week after accusing the Tea Party Movement of the same thing. Or was that the media's accusations? No matter, same, same.

It has to be the irony and the absurdity of the political year. One man, Rep. Charles Rangel, a career Democrat of great accomplishment, now holds the Democrat Party hostage to his own alleged misdeeds. I cannot imagine how he or his attorneys or advisers can hope to gain anything by making virtually every one of his former good friends now hate the very sight of him. There has to be an explanation, but so far, I haven't read or heard it. Maybe we need a psychiatrist here who has broad experience with politicians with self-destructive tendencies.

Rangel is just the kind of bad apple we want to get rid of.
He says he did nothing wrong our jails are full of criminals who say the same thing. No deals for Rangel he did the crime now he can do the time...

depending on what was violated and the amount...he will have to pay back taxes and penalties....but prison? I doubt it.

No problem if the chair of ways means (who writes the tax laws)forgets he
has to pay taxs on his own property,after all taxs were too complicated for "turbo tax" Tim G.

Yes on term limits and Yes on maximum age limits. Byrd dying in office at 92 was totally ridiculous.