Dent's Statement Concerning Rangel Censure

In a 333-79 roll call vote, Congressman Charlie Rangel was censured by the U.S. House yesterday for ethics and fundraising violations. Among those supporting the censure was LV Congressman Charlie Dent, a member of the Ethic subcommittee that considered Rangel's conduct. Here's his statement:

“As a member of the Ethics Committee, I have carefully reviewed evidence in the matter of Congressman Rangel and believe the Committee’s recommendation for censure is appropriate. While the censuring of a Member of Congress is a rare and significant action, I am confident this is the proper penalty for the House to impose on Mr. Rangel, given the accumulation and totality of his offenses.

"On November 16, a bipartisan adjudicatory subcommittee on which I served found 11 of the 13 counts Mr. Rangel faced were supported by clear and convincing evidence. I believe the most egregious of these offenses included violating the Ethics in Government Act by submitting numerous inaccurate financial disclosure statements and violating the Code of Ethics for Government Service by running a campaign office from a property leased as a rent-stabilized residential apartment.

"I also believe it is appropriate for Mr. Rangel to provide restitution for his failure to pay taxes. As a long time member and former Chairman of the House’s tax-writing committee, Mr. Rangel’s tax violations cannot be ignored.

"Violations like those committed by Mr. Rangel, individually and cumulatively, damage the public’s trust in their elected officials and this institution. However, the House has the opportunity today to restore the American people’s confidence in this body by illustrating that Members of Congress are accountable for their transgressions and will face appropriate penalties for their misconduct.

"Mr. Speaker, while this difficult occasion is by no means a pleasant duty for any of us, it is nonetheless a necessity. Therefore, we now must demonstrate our commitment to high ethical standards by voting to censure Congressman Rangel.”

House Dems Stonewalling Rangel & Waters Ethics Complaints

Charlie Dent is a Republican member of the House Ethics Committee.
House Ethics Committee

Bennett's Ties to Embattled Charlie Rangel

This comes from the Charlie Dent campaign. When I get a response from the Bennett camp, I'll post that too.

Congressman Charlie Dent today called on Democratic Congressional Candidate Siobhan Bennett to renounce the endorsement she received from ethically challenged Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel and return the donation he sent to her campaign.

As reported in the national press, Rangel has a host of ethical charges lined up against him. Rangel reportedly rented four Harlem apartments at reduced cost and used one for a campaign office, allegedly in violation of New York law. It has since been discovered that he has failed to report twenty years’ worth of rental income from an offshore rental property he owns either on his state and federal tax forms or on his Congressional financial disclosure. The New York Times also reported he received an interest-free mortgage for the beachfront property. Through it all, Rangel refuses to step down as chairman of the powerful committee that, among other things, writes the tax code.

Rangel donated $2,000 to Bennett’s campaign and he is listed on her Web page as an endorser.

“Charlie Rangel’s ethical lapses are extremely serious, and Sam Bennett clearly counts him among her friends in Washington,” Dent campaign manager Shawn Millan said. “By taking Rangel’s money and proudly proclaiming his endorsement, Bennett obviously sees nothing wrong in her association with one of the most entrenched power brokers in Congress -- someone who doesn’t think the rules apply to him; someone who would raise your taxes while he doesn’t pay his own.”

“Washington does need change – and people like Sam Bennett’s endorser and benefactor Charlie Rangel are the reason why,” said Congressman Dent’s campaign manager, Shawn Millan.

Millan explained that the Dent campaign was issuing the following challenges to Bennett:

* Return any Rangel campaign contributions she has received either from his campaign committee or from his leadership PAC.
* Remove Rangel’s name from her list of endorsers.
* Publicly call for Rangel to step down from his Chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee.

In Bennett’s commercials, she claims to oppose “more of the same” from Washington. “Unless she follows through and renounces Rangel and returns his contribution it’ll be yet another example that Sam is the same,” said Millan.

Although not mentioned in the news release, Rangel also recently referred to VP candidate Sarah Palin like this - "You got to be kind to the disabled."