Posted on 07/27/2010 1:16:04 PM PDT by Libloather
Top Dem: Rangel must decide alone whether to resign or face inquiry
By Jared Allen - 07/27/10 12:41 PM ET
The House’s second-ranking Democrat on Tuesday said Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) will decide on his own whether to resign his seat or go forward with Thursday’s ethics inquiry.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters he did not know what Rangel’s decision would be. The Ethics Committee on Thursday is scheduled to convene publicly to spell out its charges against the New York Democrat.
Rangel is coming under growing pressure to resign.
Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho) became the second House Democrat to say the veteran New Yorker should give up his seat in a report published Monday. Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio), another vulnerable Democrat facing a difficult reelection contest, told The Hill that Rangel should resign on Friday.
Despite those calls, Hoyer indicated House leaders aren’t inclined to force Rangel’s hand — at least not overtly.
“Mr. Rangel has to do what Mr. Rangel believes is appropriate and proper,” Hoyer said.
On Monday night, the Congressional Black Caucus came out in strong support of Rangel, saying in a statement that Rangel was fully entitled to his day in court and urged their colleagues not to prejudge the outcome of a process that has not concluded.
Hoyer stressed the ethics process is working and cited as an example the Rangel charges themselves.
"We've made it much more visible, there's much more reporting going on," Hoyer said. "And I'll remind you all that what the Ethics Committee is doing is exactly what Mr. Rangel requested."
Rangel asked the committee to investigate allegations against him.
But as leaders are aware, Rangel appears to want the chance to mount a full defense at a public trial less than two months before the mid-term election. Many Democrats worried their party could lose the House will want to avoid that scene.
So far, Democratic leaders have not signaled their intentions, but on Tuesday, Hoyer acknowledged the existence of a feeling within the Caucus that the matter is no longer confined to just Rangel.
"I think everybody would like it to go away," Hoyer said with a chuckle," in the sense that this isn't a pleasant process. But it's an important process."
Rep. Walt Minnick (Idaho) is the second House Democrat to call for Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) to resign after the House ethics committee charged the 80-year-old congressman with multiple violations last week.
Minnick, who represents one of the country's most conservative congressional districts and is seen as vulnerable in 2010, follows Rep. Betty Sutton (Ohio), who on Friday became the first Democratic member to call on Rangel to step down.
In an interview with IdahoReporter.com, Minnick said "now that the investigation is complete and provided the facts are as alleged, I think it's clear that he should resign from Congress."
Rangel has said he has no intention of resigning, but the Democratic leadership is working to avoid what would be a public ethics trial sometime in September.
The full charges against Rangel are set to be revealed Thursday, at a trial convened by a subpanel of the ethics committee. Speaking to reporters again Monday, Rangel said he doesn't expect the trial to be pleasant but that it would offer "a sense of relief."
Rangel has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/111047-rep-minnick-calls-for-rangel-to-resign
Put an “R” after the name of the accused and see how fast ol’ Steney calls for a resignation.
The sharks smell blood in the water..............
LLS
In RATspeak, this roughly translates into "We'll have Obama call him and tell him to resign ASAP."
Rangel attacked Tim Russert’s son... on tape. THAT was the final straw.
He could cheat on his taxes... no problem.
Lie under oath? Heck, who doesn’t do that?
Pay his family huge salaries to do nothing? Normal business..
But... attack an MSNBC reporter, who... UH OH!! happens to be Luke RUSSERT???
Sorry Charlie... you gotta go.
Good riddance....
Ethics do not matter if you are a Democrat and your skin is the right color.
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