When Representative Charles Rangel goes on trial on Thursday it might be the first time that a sitting United States congressman has done so since Jim Traficant was convicted of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion in 2002. Rangel and Traficant are kindred spirits of a sort, for each exhibits the kind of imperious arrogance that Americans loathe, especially when it bubbles to the surface among their elected officials. The difference between the two is that Traficant played a bit part among Democrats eight years ago and it was thus easy for the party to wash its hands of him. Rangel, on the other hand, is a stalwart among Democrats, a heavy hitter with strong ties to other heavy hitters, up to and including the Speaker of the House. If Rangel goes through with the trial – and he says he will – it will be a lot harder for Democrats to wish this scandal away than it was in 2002.
Published reports indicate that Dems are desperate for Rangel to cut a deal and avoid trial, but the congressman stubbornly refuses to do so. He wants his day in court and believes that he will be vindicated in the end. That attitude is reminiscent of another prominent Democrat who proclaimed that he wanted nothing more than the opportunity to tell his side of a sordid story, but when ex-governor Rod Blagojevich had his day in court recently it turned out that Blago didn’t have the guts to make his dubious case. Might Rangel also lose his nerve once prosecutors outline the case against him? Probably not. Over the last few years the octogenarian congressman has shown that he has grown increasingly detached from reality. His “watch your back” warning to the president when Obama visited Harlem, his declaration that the only people opposed to the health care bill were white southerners and his stubborn refusal to give up the Ways and Means Committee for so long are all signs that Charles Rangel lives on a planet that only vaguely resembles Earth.
Democrats understand that the longer the Rangel saga plays out, the more damage it will do to them in November, but they don’t really understand why. Voters are upset with Democrats to be sure, but they’re more upset with the overall perception that America is being governed by a detached, self-absorbed “ruling class” that disregards the will of the populace and whose contempt for the average American is poorly concealed indeed. That’s a problem that crosses party lines, which is why the tea party movement is so careful not to directly attach itself to the GOP. Tea partiers will vote for Republicans in overwhelming numbers come November, but their underlying message is clear: they’re voting to get rid of privileged insiders and if the fresh faced Republicans whom the movement hopes to empower during this election cycle fall prey to the same temptations, they will be held accountable as well.
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Rangel may be a problem for national Dem candidate races but, in his district this just enhances Charlie and his ability to stand up to "da man" meaning whitey. I know it, you know it and most of all Charlie knows it.
"America is being governed by a detached, self-absorbed “ruling class” that disregards the will of the populace and whose contempt for the average American"
AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!~
"He who has not done the same or worse, cast the first vote against me and I'll squeal on you!"
"Silence is Golden" will be the rule of the day by those in Congress because all of them have something that the Ethics committee could investigate and prosecute for. Even those chairing the committee have something to hide.
So, nothing will happen. BUT, if anything does come of this, look for Rangel to deflect attention from himself to "a racist" and that persons ties, past or present, to a "right-wing group of conspirators! "
I agree with you. I, also, think that this is the reason that the Republicans are not more vocal in their condemnations of all the nonsense that is going on in Washington. I guarantee that each and every Republican has something to hide, too. I do hope that they finally get Rangel (my goodness, he is 80 years old-when do these people retire).
I guess when Pelosi cleaned up the swamp she didn't expect to find a mirror.
Right on target Steve, but more than what you said, Rangle has three things in his favor: 1. He's black, 2. He's black, and 3. He's black. A trefecta.
Watch the first time Rangle feels a little weight, he will scream "racism." The MSM will duly report it and all will be forgiven. In fact, he will be given a job in the administration if he leaves Congress.
The best thing we could do for ourselves would be to outlaw the Democratic party and bring home our Democracy nation builders to rescue the oppressed people who suffer under the tyranny of corrupt machines in NY, Boston, Chicago et al. Hamis Karsai is a penny ante swindler compared to American Democrats and their underworld connections.
Ooops, Rangel! My bad.
I guess it is time for the inefable Mr. RANGEL to beat it or be kicked out…
This admirer of Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan troglodite dictator trying to gain points with his demagoguery of "free" heating oil for the US poor, already cancelled has been too long in his powerful committee for any good he may do.
Replacing CLAYTON ADAM POWELL, he has fallen into the same corruption pit his predecessor did, which proves as nauseam that nobody must be allowed to sit in power too long, because he gets used to command and the people to obey him..
Now, as pointed out, he will try playing the race card because he is Latino and also Black and perhaps, if condemned, drag down with him many DEMOCRAP sacred cows…
November is practically around the corner and it is time already to clean Congress as much as humanly possible and time already to replace elected crooked officials before
their time without waiting
I have to disagree about Traficant. He was not really arogant and he defended himself. Traficant also went against his party's line time and time again. The Democrat Party wanted him out. Traficant was phased out through trial on the Democrat "Eats their Young" policy
Well, half of the ethics committee (the 5 republicans) will be accused of racism if they are at all judgmental against Charlie Rangel. The other Five democrats, from chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and company- Chandler (D-KY), Butterfield (D-NC), Castor (D-FL), and Welch (D-VT), don't have a problem with people breaking the Law, so they'll probably strike a hand-slapping deal and tell Charlie he was a naughty boy for getting caught. That is standard procedure for crooked sleazebag black politicians,
Highpressure is right on the money. There is no comparison between Rangle and Traficant. Traficant was railroaded by his own party for insubordination. His high crime was voting with the Republicans too often for his own good. At his trial he was denied the ability to call certain witnesses who would not only have exonerated him, but would have exposed too much corruption in the Mahoning County Democrat Machine. That's why the Dems "washed their hands" of him.
Rangel is a thief. He has rent controlled apartments, which are supposed to go to people with limited income. He has accepted trips and goods from lobbyists from here and abroad. And if he's not double dealing, how has he managed to accrue a personal wealth in the millions of dollars? Make no mistake, he's a crook.
So Rangel is a crook. That's a resume enhancer for the CorruptoCrat's. Chappquidick Teddy left Mary Jo Kopechne to drown and he was elevated to near sainthood by the Dem's and the Media. Great bunch of power junkies.
Rangel is starting to resemble another pol whose arrogance blinded him to the approaching storm: former congressman Rostenkowski late of Chicago.
Also, let's not forget how Rangel has idolized and supported thug dictators for decades, as long as they're on the left. Fidel Castro is his dawg!
BREAKING NEWS: RANGEL CUTS DEAL! So what if he cut a deal with the Ethics committee, shouldn't he still be prosecuted outside the halls of Congress?
I was coming here to write that I'd like to see Rangel on the bottom bunk rooming with a white Bubba. HE BETTER NOT GET OFF!
IF IS IS PROSECUTED AND SENTENCED, LIKE ALL OF US WOULD BE, WILL OBAMA/HOLDER PARDON HIM? "Well Bush pardoned Libby!"
Hey Chaw-leee:
Phillip Cardillo says hello……..