Investigators Recommend Rangel Get Slap On Wrist at Pat Dollard

Investigators Recommend Rangel Get Slap On Wrist

July 30th, 2010 (7) Posted By Pat Dollard.

The investigative panel looking at alleged violations against House rules by New York Rep. Charlie Rangel recommended a “reprimand” for the longtime lawmaker, Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, a member of the panel said Friday.

A reprimand is the most lenient of the three, formal modes of discipline in the House. The other two are censure and expulsion.

A Congressional Research Service report indicates that “reprimand expressly involves a lesser level of disapproval of a Member than that of Censure, and is thus a less severe reubuke by the institution.”

Under a reprimand, a lawmaker must stand in the well of the House and be reprimanded by the Speaker.

Rangel is facing 13 allegations of violations relating to his tax filings for properties he owns in the Dominican Republic and the use of four rent-controlled apartments in pricey New York City.

If there is no settlement, the case goes to another ethics committee panel that will likely hold a public “trial” in September against the 20-term lawmaker.

If Rangel were to be reprimanded, he would have to stand in the well of the House and listen to his punishment being meted out by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The full House would likely have to vote to reprimand Rangel.

Reprimands have been used occasionally in the past. The House voted to reprimand Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., 408-18 in 1990 for using his office to “fix” parking tickets for Steve Goble, a male prostitute who used Frank’s home.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., was reprimanded and fined in 1997 for his ethics transgressions

The House did not reprimand Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., for his shout “You lie” at President Obama last near. But the House did vote to “disapprove” of his actions.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

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Bobby E.

You knew that was coming. Afraid to be called racist, these dumbwads, and their political correctness, are going to be the ruination of America and get us all killed.
Sentinel at the Gate

A reprimand! A slap on the wrist and return to your seat to steal more money. Wow, only in Amerika!
MinneSoCold

Time for the ruling class to go. They ALL view themselves above the law and the constitution. They have all broken their constitutional oath.
Ivan the Kafir

Why the hell did they bother investigating him when they didn’t have the stones to do anything more than “reprimand” Rangel in the first place?!!!! It makes them look awfully damn foolish! “Blood in the water.” What a fucking joke!
JIM D

A reprimand WTF? did’nt they send wesley snipes to jail for tax evasion? We need a major house cleaning, fuck draining the swamp these basturds need to swing from a tall tree.ALL OF THEM!!!
Sentinel at the Gate

Swamp needs nuking; for real!
Dave L.

We have established term limits on presidents so they don’t spend a career building an empire and turning themselves into kings. Why do we continue to allow congress to stay for generations, bulding their power base, voting themselves pay and benefits, and advertising themselves? Sen Byrd dies in office at 92?!? We need a national referendum on term limits and truly drain the swamp. Don’t count on Pelosi to do it for us.