Rangel Recommended for Reprimand by Ethics Subcommittee

The investigatory subcommittee that probed ethical lapses by Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) has recommended he be reprimanded, said that panel’s chairman, Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas).

“The recommendation that we have is a reprimand,” Green told reporters on Friday.

A reprimand would have to be approved by a majority of the full Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and ultimately the House would have to vote on the punishment. But it would fall short of a censure or expulsion of Rangel from the chamber.

Green said that the subcommittee met with Rangel three times, including once last year under oath and twice in the past two or three months as they were discussing a possible settlement of the charges. But Green said that despite rumors of negotiations between ethics staff and Rangel’s lawyers on a possible settlement, nothing reached the Member level in the past two weeks. Any negotiations from this point on would have to be with the adjudicatory subcommittee, Green said.

Read more: (Steven T. Dennis, “Ethics Subcommittee Recommended Reprimand for Rangel,” Roll Call, 07/30/2010)