STAND-UP COMEDY?

The 15th District Harlem voters selected Democrat Charles Rangel to be their congressional representative in 1970. Forty years later he is still the Representative - having been re-elected 20 times.

He was easily re-elected in 2010 for a 21st term this year despite Ethics violations - the extent of which was only just recenty determined. He is Dean of New York's congressional delegation.

In 2007 - three years ago - he became the Chairman of the powerful House Ways & Means Committee. - the first African-American to do so; and is also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Thursday, the House ethics committee overwhelmingly voted to censure Rangel for abusing his office and engaging in financial misconduct. Let's try to put this in perspective.

If a Prosecutor's Office of a major city finds that the prosecutors failed to perform their job in a legal righteous manner - there is Hell to pay.

If found to be guilty of violations such as witness tampering, failure to disclose evidence to the Defense as provided for by judicial regulation - or even are guilty of being "mean spirited" - a detailed investigation of their pattern of misconduct is immediately sought.

One outcome is that many of the folks who have been convicted by the Prosecutors office during the relevant period of time - may be released.

Rangel was also "released". He lost his Chairmanship status recently in view of the ethics violations against him.

Despite this there's no indication any or all decisions/contracts promulgated by the Chairman during the past three years will be reviewed for possible revocation. Given the extent of the findings(below) one could logically assume that all legislation and contracts awarded should be careful examined to determine if criminal misconduct was committed by Charlie. "Right!"

In the 9 to 1 vote by the the House Ethics committee (in closed session) the committee recommended he be censured - but, not removed from office. The censure is the second strongest punishment short of expulsion. The findings of the Committee were that he was guilty of 11 counts, of which a few are:

Breaking House rules by using his office to solicit millions of dollars in donations from companies before his committee.

Housing a campaign office in a rent-stabilized New York apartment that had been set aside for residential use.

Failing to disclose assets and income in reports to Congress.

Failing to pay taxes to the IRS on rental income from his Caribbean vacation villa - for seventeen (17) years.

No other House lawmaker has been found guilty of as many counts of rulebreaking by an Ethics panel. Former Pitt quarterback and ex-legislator Jimmy Traficante - now out of jail - may demand a recount from his former Congressional buddies.

The money Charlie was found guilty of soliciting from those companies in interest was to help fund a non-profit college center to be named for him. That amount, again, was determined to be in the "MILLIONS.".

An emotional Rangel had a request. He implored the committee to make clear in its report "Charles Rangel never sought any personal gain." He claimed he may have been "overzealous" in his effort to raise money for the center - but, declared he was "not corrupt."

Reminds one of a President who swore "I am not a thief", and a more recent one who declared "I never had sex with that woman."

The case now moves to the full house which would have to approve"formal censure".

N.C. Democratic Representative G.K. Butterfield said, "Censure is extreme. It should be reserved for intentional conduct". Georgia Democratic representative called Rangel "a good and decent man".

Apparently, the violations committed by Rangel are okay if he is found to be "a good and decent man." Makes one wonder what Charlie might have done had he been indecent.

A voting district which constantly elects the same representative suggest they also see him as "a good and decent man." Who would want to elect a politician who was corrupt?

Perhaps that's because, in comparison, his Congressional District predecessor was Adam Clayton Powell who, in the late 60's, forced most of us to look up the location of Bimini; where Powell spent much of his time as Congressman.

The reasons for the district's decision to replace Adam with Rangel were many; possibly including Powell's alleged threat to reveal Martin Luther King as having had a homosexual relationship.

If the House agrees with the 9 to 1 vote of the Ethics committee, Rangel, as a censured lawmaker - has to "stand" on the House floor as the resolution condemning his actions is read aloud.

Shouldn't be a problem. Apparently Charlie has always been thought of as "a stand up" kind of guy.