EDITORIAL: Rangel's Ethics Problem

Democrats in the House of Representatives have given Rep. Charles Rangel the benefit of the doubt for quite some time. Maybe the mounting allegations of ethical lapses had no merit, they said. The leadership would not punish him until investigations yielded results.

The first result is in, and it does not reflect well on the New York City Democrat. If House leaders do not act, they send the message that despite all the talk about cleaning up Congress, Democrats look the other way when abuses come from within their own ranks.

The ethics committee last week admonished Rangel for accepting corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean in violation of House rules. It acknowledged he might not have known about the financing, but he was responsible for finding out.

Yet Rangel refuses to take responsibility for his actions. He has given no indication he would resign or abandon the chairmanship of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Indeed, he despicably tried to pin the blame entirely on his staff.

Read more: (Editorial, “Rep. Rangel’s Ethics Problem,” The Roanoke Times, 3/02/10)