Rep. Charlie Rangel believes that the House ethics committee’s findings, that he has committed 11 ethics violations, are “unfair.”
In a statement released this afternoon, Rangel excoriated the committee once again.
“How can anyone have confidence in the decision of the Ethics Subcommittee when I was deprived of due process rights, right to counsel and was not even in the room?” he said. “I am disappointed by the unfortunate findings of the Ethics Subcommittee. The Committee’s actions are unprecedented in view of the fact that they arrived at without rebuttal or counter evidence on my behalf.”
Rangel pointed out that the chief counsel of the committee, Blake Chisam, who acted as the prosecutor in the case, told committee members that he didn’t think Rangel was corrupt — just “overzealous” and “sloppy.”
“I can only hope that the full Committee will treat me more fairly, and take into account my entire 40 years of service to the Congress before making any decisions on sanctions,” he said.
The full committee will hold its own hearing to decide whether and how to sanction Rangel. Their recommendation must then be voted on by the full House.
The most severe punishment, expulsion, is not expected to be recommended.
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