An angry Rep. Charles Rangel held a news conference Thursday morning to refute questions of ethical violation printed in a Washington Post article and across the Net . Rangel has been targeted for mis-use of his congressional position, see this article in NowPublic last week. See a Congressional Letter head Request to David Rockefeller, a letter to Donald Trump
Rangel engaged Washington Post Staff Writer Christopher Lee about his article that claimed Rangel is soliciting donations from corporations with business interests before his panel. The New York Democrat is trying to raise money for an academic center that will house his papers when he retires.
He used his congressional stationery for those letters.
Rangel is the Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Rangel says he can not remember any non-profit organization having business in front of his committee.
Rangel was visibly angry in asking for an investigation by the Congressional Ethics Committee saying he wants to “Clear the air.”
He says he expected to be cleared and will then demand an apology from the
Source: myfoxny.com via politisite
Rangel’s Pet Cause Bears His Own Name
The New York Democrat has penned letters on congressional stationery and has sought meetings to ask for corporate and foundation contributions for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York, a project that caused controversy last year when he won a $1.9 million congressional earmark to help start it. Republican critics dubbed the project Rangel’s “Monument to Me.”
The congressman has corralled more federal money as well, securing two Department of Housing and Urban Development grants totaling $690,500 to help renovate the college-owned Harlem brownstone that will house the center, according to HUD and school officials.
“It is a personal dream of mine to see this Center at City College, which resides in my congressional district and where so many talented young men and women from the community have gotten an excellent education,” Rangel wrote in a March 7, 2007, letter to real estate mogul Donald Trump, one of the business leaders the congressman has solicited.
Ethics experts and government watchdogs say it is troubling that one of the nation’s most powerful lawmakers would seek money from businesses that have interests before the committee he leads. Rangel’s panel has broad jurisdiction over tax policy, trade, Social Security and Medicare.
Source: washingtonpost.com via politisite
Congressman Rangel was also blasted for renting 4 rent controlled apartment that are allocated for the poor that he used for offices. Ranfel told reporters that he will be moving out of those apartments. That story was carried on Nowpublic as well.
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