Charlie Rangle Cleared ...

[Sue U]

. . . of two ethics violations. However, the other eleven, not so much.

[Gob]

Oh God, I'm going to ask...

If he's been found guilty, why do you have to take a vote, on the floor, for his punishments? Isn't this yet another example of your over complex processes?

It's a wonder you ever get anything done!

[darkblack]

Now, now, Gob...A vigorously pantomimed wrist-slapping and sternly written reprimand might also occur in the fullness of time, if someone remembers to say 'Mother may I'.

Our American friends tend to treat their politicians very delicately...They bruise so easily.

[dgs49]

Unfortunately, we give great weight to the voters of each legislator's district, who have the ultimate say in whether he shall represent them or not.

It is only in the most extreme cases that the sitting H.R. would in effect disenfranchise the voters of New York by tossing their recently-elected representative.

So they end up looking foolish by imposing meaningless "reprimands" for rather outrageous conduct. In the case of Rangle, he is so entrenched that he won't even be embarrassed about it.

I seem to recall that the House was in a similar pickle over Rangle's predecessor, one Adam Clayton Powell, many, many years ago.

[Lord Jim]

Charlie Rangle Cleared ...

. . . of two ethics violations. However, the other eleven, not so much.

LOL

Now that's what I call "spin"....

If you ever get tired of your current gig, I see a bright future for you as a commentator for MSNBC.....


(Special note for those who may be sarcasm challenged:

Yes, I know Sue wasn't seriously trying to defend Rangle.)

[Sue U]

That was just my little gift to you.

[Sue U]

Oh God, I'm going to ask...

If he's been found guilty, why do you have to take a vote, on the floor, for his punishments? Isn't this yet another example of your over complex processes?

Now, now, Gob...A vigorously pantomimed wrist-slapping and sternly written reprimand might also occur in the fullness of time, if someone remembers to say 'Mother may I'.

Our American friends tend to treat their politicians very delicately...They bruise so easily.

Well, not quite. First, Rangle was found "guilty" by a House panel of violating House ethics rules; he was not convicted by a court of law for violating any criminal statute. And unlike the criminal law, where the elements of an offense, burden of proof and penalties for violation are specific, Congress pretty much makes up its own enforcement procedures as they go along. And as Dave/Mort accurately (!!!) points out, it is only in the most extreme circumstances that a sitting legislator would be expelled, depriving his/her constituents of their duly elected representative. Even Preston Brooks kept his Senate seat after very nearly beating Charles Sumner to death on the floor of the chamber.

[oldr_n_wsr]

And didn't Rangle not attend his verdict reading virtually guaranteeing an appeal or two?

[Sue U]

As far as I know, there is no appeal from a House panel decision. Like I said, this is not a court of law or a criminal conviction, this is an internal disciplinary proceeding.

[Gob]

As long as I live the USA will be an alien planet to me...

[Crackpot]

Yet you claim to understand Cricket....

I guess we can conclude that it's not a "needless complexity" issue.

[Gob]

Oh cricket is complex all right, very complex, it's just not "foreign complex".

[Crackpot]

sure it is

[Lord Jim]

I've been very busy with real life today, so I haven't had occasion to follow this much....

But I did catch a snippit of Rangle saying that whatever punishment was recommended, that he didn't want the resolution sent to the House floor to accuse him of "corruption" because he never profited from anything he was accused of doing....

Well, that's just manifestly ridiculous....or extraordinarily cynical....

He profited greatly by not reporting the rental income he received from his Caribbean properties, and by misusing the rent control laws in New York....

Ultimately of course, he has not "profited"....

But only because he got caught... .

ETA:

It would be sort of like an embezzler who was caught, and subsequently was ordered to pay restitution, fines, etc., and wracked up a bunch of legal bills, claiming that he hadn't "profited"....

[oldr_n_wsr]

Read in the paper today that the panel is calling for censuring Rangle as his punishment.

[Gob]

Oooh! That'll learn him...

[BoSoxGal]

Rangel

[rubato]

I hope they ring him up and shame the Repuglican fuckheads who allowed "Newtie" to skate for bribery.

yrs,
rubato