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Charles Rangel Creates Legal Defense Fund as More Battles Loom

2 years ago
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Lynn Sweet
Lynn Sweet
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Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), censured on the House floor earlier this month for ethics violations, is soliciting donations to a legal defense fund, Politics Daily has learned.

The fund is asking for donations of up to $5,000 for the Charles B. Rangel Legal Expense Trust.

In a statement, Rangel told Politics Daily: "I have received authorization from the Committee on Standards and Official Conduct to begin raising funds for the Charles B. Rangel Legal Expense Trust, which I have sought to create so I can retain counsel for on-going activities related to the recently-concluded ethics investigations and other on-going matters."

Rangel said the House ethics panel approved H. Carl McCall, a former New York state comptroller, to serve as the trustee of the fund.

The money is being collected because Rangel may have more legal battles ahead, prompted, he said in his statement, by a group that has been investigating him.

charles rangel"The repeated filings of allegations, no matter how unsubstantiated, by the National Legal Policy Committee, a politically-motivated right-wing group dedicated to eviscerating civil rights and labor union protections, have led me to this action. All contributions to the Trust will be reported as required on a quarterly basis with the Committee as well as the Legislative Resource Center for public disclosure.

"I continue to draw satisfaction from the recently concluded Ethics Committee investigations that established that, while I committed serious violation of the rules of the House, none of those violations included corruption, intent, self-dealing, self-enrichment or quid pro quos involving any official action," Rangel said.

The National Legal and Policy Center on Nov. 29 filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging Rangel improperly used $400,000 from his political action committee to pay legal bills stemming from the House ethics probe.

In an e-mail appeal sent out Monday, the potential battles ahead were alluded to. "Many supporters have encouraged this for a while as it is becoming clear that there are those who will continue to mine and instigate further allegations. This Trust will enable the Congressman to focus all of his attention on the work that must be done in the new Congress. We are trying to raise some seed money before December 31st to help get the Trust off the ground."
The fund is allowed to take corporate donations -- federal candidates running for office can't accept corporate contributions -- but is not taking any money from federally registered lobbyists.
Rangel, a 40-year House veteran who was re-elected on Nov. 2, was called to the well of the House by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to hear her read a series of ethics violations he was found to have committed, including failure to pay taxes on a Dominican Republic home and filing misleading financial disclosures. The House voted 333 to 79 for censure.
Rangel, in accepting the punishment, said there was "no evidence that there was an intention on my part to evade my responsibility, whether in taxes or whether in financial disclosures. And there's absolutely no excuse for my omission for my responsibility to obey those rules. I take full credit for the responsibility of that. I brought it on myself, but I still believe that this body has to be guided by fairness."
Filed Under: Ethics
Tagged: Charlie Rangel, dailyguidance
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14 Comments

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fireball12763

The people who continue to reelect these politicians when they know full well that they are scoundrels are just as culpable as the politician. They'll make any excuse, no matter how lame and pretend to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. They'll sacrfice their integrity as long as the guy they're voting for looks like them and continues to feed them pablum. To quote Dean Ferber from Animal House, "Fat, dumb and stupid is no way to go through life,son."

December 29 2010 at 8:18 AM Report abuse +5 rate up rate down Reply
BIG DADDY!!!!!!!

Wow, the people of New York should pay. They put him back in office. Personally he should be in jail

December 28 2010 at 8:01 PM Report abuse +10 rate up rate down Reply
Hello alby

I will give some of my well earned pension ( retired firefighter )to pay for his jail sentence,no mater how many yrs.

December 28 2010 at 6:01 PM Report abuse +12 rate up rate down Reply
mimsysc

Oh puleeze, he just doesnt want to spend his own money,,, bill clinton probably told him what a money maker it was.

December 28 2010 at 5:25 PM Report abuse +15 rate up rate down Reply
moonscapein

Just another crooked poitician,. when is all this gona stop? .. grrr

December 28 2010 at 5:23 PM Report abuse +14 rate up rate down Reply
seja0553

Given where he comes from, I'd guess he could get re-elected. However, in my book he is a CROOK and I would not contribute a dime to his defense fund. I'd be much more inclined to donate to the prosecution!!

December 28 2010 at 5:11 PM Report abuse +16 rate up rate down Reply
lucyod

He should be able to pay for his own defense. For 40 years he has lived off our tax dollars and will continue to do so til death do us part. He should have retired and collected our money and benefits that we pay for. He is a has been that probably has gotten lots of graft from his followers and the lobbyists and now he is begging for more.

December 28 2010 at 5:00 PM Report abuse +15 rate up rate down Reply
dittodogs

Here's my two cents, Mr. Rangel.....boo, hoo to you!

December 28 2010 at 3:39 PM Report abuse +26 rate up rate down Reply
SAUNDERS

The whole invesigation was another waste of our money if nothing really material came out of it. All the old politicians came to his rescue, which makes one wonder why they voted the way they did? Maybe they will need some help themselves someday, maybe not to far off. Evey politician who supported him should be voted out at their next election. There should be no doubt that they too are corrupt if they can vote for anything other than kick him out.

December 28 2010 at 3:19 PM Report abuse +27 rate up rate down Reply
dandur805

Charles, Please let me know where each of our 7 family members can send our $5,000 each. I would surely like to help you out there buddy....but, HEY? Who? Rangle? As in I can steal more than the other Senators and Congress People? Sorry! Roast in hell. If that is legal to say.

December 28 2010 at 3:01 PM Report abuse +19 rate up rate down Reply

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