Rangel faces punishment, seeks fairness and mercy!
WASHINGTON - November 18, 2010 - Rep. Charles Rangel of New York pleaded Thursday for "a drop of fairness and mercy" as he braced for likely punishment for his ethical misdeeds.
The Harlem Democrat, who rarely sticks to a script, released prepared remarks for a House ethics committee hearing that will decide how he should be sanctioned.
The 80-year-old Rangel was convicted Tuesday on 11 counts of violating House rules. He misused his office in fundraising for a college center named after him, set up a campaign office in a subsidized, residential-only apartment unit, made public a decade of misleading financial statements, and failed to pay taxes for 17 years on rental income from a beach villa.
The committee of five members from each party will deliberate after hearing from Rangel and ethics chief counsel Blake Chisam. Chisam will recommend the punishment for the former Ways and Means Committee chairman.
"There can be no excuse for my acts of omission," Rangel said. "I've failed in carrying out my responsibilities. I made numerous mistakes. But corruption and personal enrichment are certainly not part of my mistakes."
The committee can recommend any of several forms of punishment. One strong possibility is a House vote to censure Rangel for his misconduct.
