Rangel charged on 13 counts

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The House Ethics Committee investigative subcommittee that has spent the past eighteen months investigating allegations of ethical impropriety against Rep. Charlie Rangel charged the Harlem congressman with thirteen counts of violating House rules, ethics guidelines and federal statutes. (View the Statement of Alleged Violation here.)

The thirteen counts include Rangel’s solicitation of funds for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service. This includes at least two counts, one related to his switching of his vote on a tax loophole to a position favored by a $1 million donor to the eponymous center and another related to his use of official letterhead in his solicitations.

Another charge relates to the acceptance of four rent-stabilized apartments from a campaign contributor. These amount to gifts that violate the House gift rules.

Rangel is also charged with failing to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets on his personal financial disclosure. The Sunlight Foundation’s Bill Allison reported on these omissions last year. This likely includes the many failures to report income from Rangel’s Dominican villa.

Other charges include breaking House franking rules, postal service laws, the Ethics in Government Act and violating the House Code of Ethics and the House Code of Conduct.

Reports are swirling as to whether Rangel has cut a deal with the adjudicatory committee to avoid a trial. Currently, the trial is moving forward and any deal must meet the approval of at least one Republican member of the committee.