Another Power ‘Trip’ by Rangel; ‘Defied’ Rule on Lobby $$ for Vacation

For nearly a decade, Rep. Charles Rangel has enjoyed free trips to luxurious Caribbean destinations paid for by lobbyists from large corporations such as Pfizer and Macy’s, who bundled their sponsorship cash through a small, New York-based Caribbean newspaper.

Most years, the Harlem congressman dutifully disclosed the trips on his federal filings – but he failed to heed more stringent rules on lobbyist-financed travel introduced last year, The Post has found.

Seeking to crack down on a rash of lobbyist-sponsored junkets for elected officials, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has changed its rules on travel. The panel prohibited members of Congress from accepting free trips financed “in any part by a lobbyist” or major corporation.

Read more: (Isabel Vincent, “Another Power ‘Trip’ by Rangel; ‘Defied’ Rule on Lobby $$ for Vacation,” New York Post, 9/14/08)