Rangel’s Ethics Woes Hurting Other New York Democrats

Support for Charles Rangel within his home state delegation is showing signs of strain — with upstate New York Democrats grumbling about the impact of Rangel’s ethics woes on their already tenuous reelection chances.

Politically vulnerable junior Democrats have been agitating with more senior counterparts to intervene — either with Rangel or with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — in an attempt to ease Rangel out as Ways and Means chairman until the House ethics committee completes its review of the allegations against him, members tell POLITICO.

“The past month it’s escalated,” said one of the lawmakers, noting that Rangel’s restatement of his personal finances in August “put additional pressure on those members” from northern swing districts.

Read more: (Jonathan Allen and Glenn Thrush, “N.Y. Dems Agitate for Rangel Action,” Politico, 10/19/09)