Post by dgriffin on Dec 2, 2010 11:20:17 GMT -5
Rangel’s CEO-Studded Trial That Never Was
By Devlin Barrett
November 30, 2010, 4:16 PM ET
When Rep. Charles Rangel walked out of his own ethics trial earlier this month, he not only forfeited his chance to fight the accusations but also deprived lawmakers — and reporters –- of what could have been a fascinating proceedings.
Donald Trump was supposed to have been a witness. So, too, former AIG CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg. Ditto Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg. All three are listed by the committee staff as planned witnesses against Rangel, according to a raft of documents released publicly Tuesday.
The congressman, who has represented Harlem for 40 years, asked those business leaders and others for millions of dollars in charitable donations to a City College of New York center to be named after Rangel. The Verizon Foundation approved a $500,000 gift to the center, but neither Trump nor AIG made contributions.
Rangel’s trial on ethics charges began earlier this month but he short-circuited the process almost immediately, refusing to participate because he did not have a lawyer. He asked the committee for a delay so he could raise money to hire one.
The committee refused his request, however, and later found Rangel guilty of 11 separate violations of ethics rules. They concluded that the Harlem congressman brought dishonor to the entire House by failing to pay taxes on rental income from a vacation home, misusing congressional staff and stationery to try to raise money for the college center, misusing a rent-stabilized apartment as a campaign office and failing to report assets accurately.
The panel voted 9 to 1 to recommend he be censured for his misconduct. The House is expected to vote on that recommendation any day now. Censures are rare and involve an act of publicly shaming the offending lawmaker. Rangel has indicated he plans to plead for a reprimand, a lesser punishment.
Other documents released Tuesday show that Rangel had proposed to create a legal defense fund with former New York City Mayor David Dinkins as the fund’s trustee. Dinkins is a longtime friend and political ally of the congressman. At a birthday bash for Rangel earlier this summer, Dinkins gave the middle finger to a protester denouncing the congressman.
blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/11/30/rangels-ceo-studded-trial-that-never-was/
Makes you wonder .....