Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) has been in the news lately for his most recent ethics scandal, where he neglected to tell the IRS about the money he received when he rented out his Caribbean villa. It’s especially troubling considering that Rangel is still Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee (he decided to temporarily step aside from his post).
Aside from Rangel’s woes, could it be that three Virginia Congressmen are impacted by his recent scandal? Reps. Glenn Nye, Tom Perriello, and Gerry Connolly, who are all in the Freshmen class together, received contributions from Rangel, and they have not shared whether or not they will be voting to remove him from his Chairmanship.
Congressman Glenn Nye’s contributions from Rep. Charlie Rangel
• $2,000 from Rangel for Congress on June 9, 2008
• $5,000 from Rangel’s leadership PAC “National Leadership PAC” on June 9, 2008
• $2,000 from Rangel for Congress on June 30, 2008
• $5,000 from Rangel’s leadership PAC “National Leadership PAC” on June 30, 2008
Total: $14,000Congressman Tom Perriello’s contributions from Rep. Charlie Rangel
• $2,000 from Rangel for Congress on June 20, 2008
• $5,000 from Rangel’s leadership PAC “National Leadership PAC” on June 25, 2008
Total: $7,000Congressman Gerry Connolly’s contributions from Rep. Charlie Rangel
• $2,000 from Rangel for Congress on June 24, 2008
• $5,000 from Rangel’s leadership PAC “National Leadership PAC” on June 25, 2008
Total: $7,000
That’s a lot of contributions from someone who is in a heap of trouble. RPV Chairman Pat Mullins decided to shed some light on to Virginia’s version of Charlie’s Angels.
“Rep. Charlie Rangel has had ethics issues for a long time, but the allegations that came to light last year were truly extraordinary,” said Mullins. “Rangel conveniently ‘forgot’ to tell the IRS about the money he got from renting out his Caribbean villa. That’s a no-no for anyone, but it’s especially bad for the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee — the body that writes our country’s tax laws.”
“When Republicans tried to hold Rangel accountable, Charlie’s three Virginia angels — Representatives Tom Perriello, Glenn Nye, and Gerry Connolly — rode to his rescue on the floor of the House of Representatives,” he said. “They had a good reason. All three have taken thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Rangel and his leadership PAC.”
“Rangel’s announcement this morning that he’s ‘temporarily’ giving up his gavel shows just how serious these ethical breaches are,” Mullins said. “It also makes the behavior of his three angels all the more inexcusable.”
“Late last year, the public found out that Rangel had been breaking House gift rules by taking free trips to the Caribbean. The ethical breaches were so bad that not even the Democrat-lead House could turn a blind eye and sent the issue to the House Ethics Committee. And yet our three freshmen have yet to even acknowledge that their benefactor has done anything wrong.”
“And finally just last week the House Ethics Committee admonished Rangel for his ethical lapses and there was quite a debate taking place overnight last night and this morning about whether or not Charlie Rangel will remain Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.”
“Now that even the Democratically controlled Ethics Committee has admonished Rangel for his antics, it’s time for Charlie’s three Virginia angels to give back his tainted campaign contributions and vote to remove him from the Chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee,” Mullins said. “Virginians need to know that their elected representatives haven’t been bought and paid for by a corrupt politician.”
Today, the RPV released their web ad, “Most Ethical Ever” to shed light on these three Virginia Congressmen. Call them today and urge them to give back the money. When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised to make Congress the “most ethical ever,” she must have neglected to notice the allegations that were about to rise surrounding Rangel.
UPDATE: Keith Fimian, who is challenging Connolly in the 11th District, released the following statement regarding Connolly’s silence on the Rangel donations.
“Gerry Connolly should immediately return all funds he accepted from Rangel,” Fimian said. “As bad as it is that he is still holding onto to those tainted funds, it is even worse that Connolly voted to let Rangel off the hook for his ethical violations after having accepted campaign contributions from him in 2008. As the saying goes, money talks…and Gerry Connolly listens.”
“Aside from the campaign cash, Connolly’s vote to give Rangel a pass on his ethics violations should come as no surprise to anyone who remembers Connolly’s tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors,” Fimian said. “When it comes to ethical lapses, I have no doubt that Gerry Connolly can empathize with the situation Representative Rangel finds himself in.”
