On July 30, the Washington Examiner posted a list of some of the eithics charges against Charles Rangel. The list included things that were unique to the House of Representatives ethics rules, but it also included things that are generally regarded as breaking the law. The list included using official stationery to solicit funds for a New York college center named after him (obviously a House ethics issue), accepting favors and donations that could be seen to influence decisions in Congress (House ethics and possible corruption issue), a pattern of submitting financial statements that were incomplete and inaccurate (this is the man who is in charge of writing the tax code), misuse of a rent-subsidized apartment in New York City (I suspect he is not the only person guilty of that) and finally, failing to report rental income for a period of eight years (I strongly suggest you don't try that one at home!). As you look at this list, you could justifiably say that individually each item really doesn't amount to much--he didn't murder anyone and there are no bank robberies listed. But what would happen to you or me if the IRS discovered that we had not reported income on a rental property for eight years?
Meanwhile, yesterday's New York Post reported on Charlie Rangel's 80th birthday party. Congressman Rangel partied as if nothing were wrong. Well, something is wrong. As a Congressman, this man has shown a pattern of contempt for any law or ethics rule that would prevent him for doing something he wanted to do. That in itself is more important than the specifics of the laws and rules broken. One of the tenets of America is that all men are equal under the law. The problem with Charlie Rangel is that he considers himself more equal than the rest of us.
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