Sunday, August 01, 2010
Rangel's last stand
Via TaxProf, links to the Statement of Alleged Violations in the matter of Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), and his response statement. Both are worth reading in some detail.
One interpretation of President Obama's wording -- "very troubling" -- in reference to the investigation is that he would like Rep. Rangel to at least see what the underside of the bus looks like, before the actual throwing begins. I think President Obama understands that the investigation does not help House Democrats in the upcoming mid-term elections, adding to the stew of bad ingredients, and prefers that some type of settlement ought to be reached fairly quickly.
My favorite lawyerly line from the response statement is this:
"The Rangel Center is a bona fide academic program undertaken by CCNY to meet a critical social and educational need, not a vanity project for the Congressman, as the SAV implies..."Congressman, with all due respect, here's how it would not have been a vanity project -- don't agree to attach your name to it! Name it for one of your early mentors, or for another NY politician, or for Derek Jeter. It's true that there is a difference between actual impropriety and the perception of impropriety, but soliciting corporate donations for a center named after you while you are the sitting Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee doesn't look or smell good. The fact that Senator Mitch McConnell and others have engaged in similar activities does not make it right, particularly considering the pattern of behavior in the alleged violations.
2 Comments:
By 
, at
Sun Aug 01, 07:54:00 PM:
The political class is so corrupt they don't even undertand what "impropriety" menas. They think all they have to do is issue a press release disavoring their obvious intentions and the MSM will continue to cover for them.
By , at
Mon Aug 02, 01:37:00 AM:
As much as I would like to see less government, I believe there should be a law that does not allow ANY public works project to be named for a sitting politician. If a project is to be named for a sitting politician, it should be delayed for one term after they leave office.
