Posted on 11/14/2010 7:34:47 PM PST by Mozilla
With no lawyers expected at his side, Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) is scheduled to begin his defense Monday against allegations that he broke congressional rules in his personal finances and his fundraising efforts for a New York college.
The public trial, conducted by an eight-member panel of Rangel's congressional peers, will be the first of its kind since 2002. It will be all the more remarkable for Rangel because he no longer has a defense team.
After spending more than $2 million from his campaign account on lawyers and communications experts, Rangel and his team parted ways in September. They had repeatedly clashed over his approach to the defense, including his impromptu decision to deliver a more than 30-minute speech on the House floor in mid-August.
"I am not going away," Rangel, 80, said during that speech, imploring the ethics committee to hold the trial immediately so he could have his case heard before the midterm elections. "Don't leave me swinging in the wind until November."
Now, after winning his 21st term two weeks ago, the former assistant U.S. attorney will get his first dose of something resembling a courtroom since the mid-1960s. Expected to last about a week, Rangel's trial is to be followed two weeks later by a trial of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
In and out. Get it done quick.
FINALLY! Wa-Hoo! Nail this grifter!
And then SOMEONE needs to go after Reverends Jesse and Al, too! Make it a trifecta, LOL!
He’s not guilty! He’s a powerful democrat. He can not possibility be guilty.
He will be found guilty, then he won’t be able to play in any reindeer games.
Charlie’s waited THIS LONG... he’d better get it done quick...before the GOP takes over..
This will probably be their first ROLLOVER!
One good Honest IRS audit would take care of Both Je$$e and Revrund AL Notsosharp!
I really hate misleading headlines.
How can something one does not possess be "on trial"?
This will be done so fast it’ll make our heads spin. This is nothing but a show trial. All to be completed before the Republicans take over.
The only issue they’ll have trouble over is when to schedule the beatification.
The real question here is whether the Democrats want to try Rangel and Waters quickly during the lame duck session with little fanfare because they want to sweep it under the rug while they still have control...
Or whether they want to leave the trials for a Republican House so they can turn around and accuse the GOP of being racists for prosecuting two black congressmen. Wouldn’t shock me if they try the latter.
Guess he went for a jury of his peers rather than face a Republican-dominated committee next January.
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