Today may be the day a House ethics panel announced its charges against Rep. Charlie Rangel for alleged ethics violations, but that didn’t stop him from sending out invitations this week to a “birthday gala” for his other special day.
In an email sent out Tuesday, Rangel campaign Executive Director Walter Swett invited campaign supporters to attend Rangel’s birthday gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on August 11.
“The party is going to be fantastic,” the invite boasts. “Aretha Franklin will perform and we’ll hear from a terrific group of New York leaders who are standing strong with Congressman Rangel.”
Tickets for the event start at $200, but as the attached video will tell you, it’s so worth it.
Set to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Take The ‘A’ Train,” the video features scenes from last year’s party, a cameo by Rangel’s friends (like Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand), and a taped message from Bill Clinton to Rangel, thanking him “for all you’ve done for Harlem, and for your friendship to me and Hillary over the years. Happy birthday, and best wishes for another great year!”
Full coverage of Rangel’s ethics problems here.
Jillian Rayfield
Jillian Rayfield is a Reporter/Blogger for TPM, and started as a News Intern in May 2009. She graduated from Cornell University in May 2008 with a degree in Film, and worked as a Research Assistant for a market research firm in London in between.