Charles Rangel, Under Ethical Fire Again
Well well, we see that the esteemed (choke) democratic congressman from the state of New York, Charles Rangel finds himself in hot water once again. According to the House Ethics Committee he accepted leisure trips to desirable locales (the Caribbean) paid for by... none other than corporations. No doubt wishing to secure Mr. Rangel's political favor and influence.
Congressman Rangel is the object of several ethic investigations as noted in the Wall Street Journal, brief excerpt below.
The ethics investigation is one of several targeting the activities of Mr. Rangel. The committee is also looking at whether Mr. Rangel filed inaccurate forms with Congress disclosing his personal assets. Last summer, Mr. Rangel updated his personal-financial-disclosure forms for the past few years, revealing more than $500,000 in assets he hadn't before made public.
The new committee action is sure to increase pressure on Mr. Rangel to give up his chairmanship. Republicans have staged several House votes calling on Mr. Rangel to step aside. Each has failed on fairly party-line votes.
Of course Mr. Rangel claims a lack of knowledge with respect to his recent pleasure trips being paid for by special interests. And make no mistake it was special interest. His argument of lack of knowledge flies in the face of logic. But even given him the benefit of the doubt, which is being kind, his staffers, those who provide support, those who report to him, should have kept him appraised of the circumstances. The fact they did not (if this is true) is still HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
During my career in business as a manager it was always understood that I held responsibility for the activities and acts of those who reported to me. Such is the realities when a person holds a position of responsibility whether it be in the private sector or the government.
Congressman Rangel should at the very least reimburse the expenses for the pleasure trips and stripped of his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means committee. What say you?
Via: Wall Street Journal
Via: Politico
Congressman Rangel is the object of several ethic investigations as noted in the Wall Street Journal, brief excerpt below.
The ethics investigation is one of several targeting the activities of Mr. Rangel. The committee is also looking at whether Mr. Rangel filed inaccurate forms with Congress disclosing his personal assets. Last summer, Mr. Rangel updated his personal-financial-disclosure forms for the past few years, revealing more than $500,000 in assets he hadn't before made public.
The new committee action is sure to increase pressure on Mr. Rangel to give up his chairmanship. Republicans have staged several House votes calling on Mr. Rangel to step aside. Each has failed on fairly party-line votes.
Of course Mr. Rangel claims a lack of knowledge with respect to his recent pleasure trips being paid for by special interests. And make no mistake it was special interest. His argument of lack of knowledge flies in the face of logic. But even given him the benefit of the doubt, which is being kind, his staffers, those who provide support, those who report to him, should have kept him appraised of the circumstances. The fact they did not (if this is true) is still HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
During my career in business as a manager it was always understood that I held responsibility for the activities and acts of those who reported to me. Such is the realities when a person holds a position of responsibility whether it be in the private sector or the government.
Congressman Rangel should at the very least reimburse the expenses for the pleasure trips and stripped of his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means committee. What say you?
Via: Wall Street Journal
Via: Politico
he would be the first example i'd use to argue for term limits in Congress.
ReplyDeleteGriper - Agreed!
ReplyDeleteI concede RN. Rangel at the least needs to resign his chairmanship. A message needs to be sent from Obama that embarrassing ethical lapses will not be tolerated.
ReplyDeleteThis applies to both parties.
Truth - I acknowledge your concession, and I concur with your final statement.
ReplyDeletei would tell Obama to stay out of it. this is a legislature scandal not a presidential scandal. it is up to the legislative body to deal with this problem of ethics within itself if we are to declare that we have two separate branches of government here, each independent from the other.
ReplyDeleteit is when one branch abides by the will of the executive branch of government that a dictatorship is known to exist.
Griper- So you re saying essentially the President, chief executive of our nation, and Commander in Chief should not weigh in on the side of ethical behavior?
ReplyDeleteHmm...
i'm saying that Congress makes its own rules of conduct because it is a separate branch of the government from the executive branch.
ReplyDeleteand while Congress has the power to judge the behavior of the executive branch, the executive branch has no power to judge the behavior of the legislative branch. the power to impeach declares that.
besides there is an old saying that you should not criticize another man's dirty house before you clean up your own. The house of the Presidency needs a bit of cleaning too right now.
Griper - I understand. I am not saying Obama should discipline Rangel as he obviously lacks that authority. I am saying the duly elected President ought to be in the position to send a strong message the ethical behavior accounts for something and the American people are entitled to nothing less.
ReplyDeleteA to your point on dirty houses... well you got me there. Can't dispute that one. As I often used to say to my people (in a prior business life),"don't concern yourself with somebody else's backyard until your own is perfectly pristine." Your point here is well taken,Thanks.