Charles Rangel Rebuked By Ethics Panel
By Swatilekha, Gaea News NetworkFriday, February 26, 2010
WASHINGTON (GaeaTimes.com)- Democrat Charles B. Rangel has been found to be guilty of violating the ‘House gift rule’ for making trips to Caribbean on corporate funds, according to the House ethics committee. The ethics panel has furnished allegations against the top tax-writing lawmaker in Congress which claims that Charles B. Rangel accepted corporate money for trips that took place in 2007 as well as in 2008.
The United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct revealed on Thursday that Charles B. Rangel violated the House rules when he made the trip to Antigua in the month of November, 2007 as well when he traveled to St. Maarten in November last year, which was sponsored by the Carib News Foundation. Moreover, in the statement that committee further reveals that the foundation had accepted donations from corporations to fund the conferences that the Democratic politician had attended. At the same time, the committee highlighted that it did not have much evidence about whether Charles B. Rangel knew that the corporate fundings were involved in the trips but added that members of his staff had an idea about the funds. However, the Capitol Hill veteran countered that the Congress members should be held responsible for the misconduct of their staff.
Meanwhile, the revelations by the panel has raised serious doubts about whether Charles B. Rangel can actually continue as the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee as insiders are speculating that the New York Democrat might just lose his position owing to the accusations made by the panel. However, Charles B. Rangel has refused to comment about whether he would be stepping down from the post.
