Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., just concluded a 37 minute speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, defending himself while also apologizing for the ethics charges pending against him.
The House, in an emergency, mid-recess session, was voting on a string of legislation related to a $26.1 billion in state aide, when Rangel rose to deliver a defiant speech.
Rangel’s talk was emotional and rambling at times, but his point was clear: He is not resigning amid charges he failed to pay taxes and used his office and influence to solicit donations to a school named after him. The House Ethics Committee last month announced 13 charges against Rangel, including one that he may have helped large corporations with tax laws while at the same time asking them for money for the school.
Rangel was defiant on Tuesday and seemed to lash out at Republicans, Democrats and President Obama, who recently said he hoped Rangel would end his career “with dignity,” in the face of the charge.
“If I can’t get my dignity back here, then fire your best shot at getting rid of me through expulsion,” Rangel challenged fellow lawmakers as they looked on from their seats in the chamber.
Rangel then went on to apologize for what he characterized as mistakes, not corruption, that resulted in the ethics charges.
“You never get too big to recognize that these rules are for junior members as they are for senior members and you can’t get so carried away by good intentions that you break the rules,” Rangel said, referring to his use of congressional staff and letterhead to raise money for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service.
Rangel told fellow lawmakers he is frustrated that Congress will leave for the summer without him being able to publicly defend himself against the charges. The Ethics Committee, he noted, has not set a date for a public trial to which he is entitled.
“Don’t leave me swinging in the wind until November,” Rangel said at the conclusion of his speech. “If this is an emergency to help our local and state governments out, what about me?”
UPDATE:
In an interview following the speech, Rangel told the Washington Examiner he is feeling much better about the ethics charges.
“I can sleep now,” Rangel said.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., said he does not think Rangel is being treated fairly and that even though he advised Rangel not to take to the floor and give the speech, it was a good think in the end.
“The message I hope everyone got out of it is that this can happen to them,” Cleaver said.
