Dems Disgorge $500K in Rangel Cash

House Dems have returned $503K in contributions from embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) after a week-long offensive by GOPers to paint the cash as tainted.

The former chair of the Ways and Means Committee stepped down last week after the House ethics committee found he violated the chamber’s ban on accepting gifts from corporations. Now, a total of 36 members have given back some or all of the contributions the influential Rangel handed out.

Rep. John Hall (D-NY) became the latest to return Rangel’s cash when he spread $21K among 10 charities in his Westchester-based district.

The NRCC has been hounding incumbents to return or donate the money they received from Rangel, generating significant local news coverage as vulnerable members have raced to return the money.

Most of the 36 members have returned direct donations that came from Rangel’s campaign account or his PAC. But the NRCC has hit others, including Reps. Mike McMahon (D-NY), Debbie Halvorson (D-IL) and Walt Minnick (D-ID) for profiting from joint fundraisers with Rangel. Those 3 have returned the direct contributions.

All told, the 20-term NY Dem contributed more than $1.5M to current incumbents, not counting the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, he has given to the DCCC over the years; as chair of a top committee, his dues this year are set at $500K, though FEC records show he has only given $150K so far this cycle.

Read more: (Reid Wilson, “Dems Disgorge $500K in Rangel Cash,” National Journal’s “Hotline OnCall” blog, 03/10/10)