Scandal: Charlie Rangel

Updated Nov. 26

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), the chairman of the influential House Ways and Means Committee, has been under fire recently for three potential ethics violations.

In July, the New York Times reported that Rangel rented four rent-stabilized apartments in a Harlem luxury building and used one of them as his campaign office. This arrangement appeared to violate New York State and City laws that require a rent-stabilized apartment to be used as one's primary residence. After the story broke, Rangel promptly moved the office from his apartment and filed an ethics complaint against himself.

But a few days later Rangel was back in the news. This time, the Washington Post reported that Rangel had used congressional stationery to solicit funds for his personal foundation from companies with business before his committee. In response, Rangel filed another ethics complaint ($) against himself. Rangel's foundation, the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service, garnered the nickname "Monument to Me" last year after he secured a $1.9 million earmark for it.

Then on Aug. 31, the New York Post broke the news that Rangel had failed to disclose income from renting his Caribbean villa. (The Post's photo of a dozing Rangel is an added bonus.) According to the Times' follow-up, Rangel failed to report the $75,000 in income not only on his congressional disclosure forms, but also on his state and federal income tax filings. What's more, Rangel hadn't paid interest on the villa's mortgage for 10 years. That loan was given to him by a company in which a donor to Rangel was a principal investor. Rangel pleaded ignorance on the loan terms and, once again, called for an ethics investigation ($).

House Republicans, defeated in a prior bid to publicly censure Rangel over the apartment to-do, have responded with calls for Rangel to step down as chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee until the ethics panel concludes its three investigations.

In late November the story was revived when the New York Post reported that for years, Rangel had taken advantage of a Washington, D.C., "homestead" tax break reserved for primary residents of the district. But Rangel's rent-stabilized NYC apartment also requires that it be used as a primary residence.

The next day, the New York Times reported that Rangel helped protect a Caribbean tax shelter for a company whose chief executive was a top donor to his foundation. Rangel vehemently denied the allegation that there was any connection.

 

Lobbyists Help Smooth the Way for a Tax Break for Foreign Rum Maker ProPublica, 2/3

Document Sheds Light on Ethics Probe in Congress Washington Post, 11/2

Lawmakers Slow to Investigate Other Lawmakers ABC News, 10/8

Rep. Rangel Failed to Report Harlem Rental Income New York Post, 9/14

Rep. Rangel Failed to Report $660K in Assets in ‘07 Politico, 8/26

Ten Months In, New Twist in Rangel Ethics Inquiry Politico, 6/25

Turnover on House Ethics Panel Slows Progress Politico, 4/14

Rangel’s Cadillac Cost Taxpayers $777 a Month New York Daily News, 3/31

Rangel’s Complicated Relationship With AIG New York Times, 3/23

Rangel Brushes Off Ethics Charges Roll Call ($), 3/23

Quick Picks: The Rangel Probe Drags On and a Buried Drug Study is Unearthed ProPublica, 3/18

Rangel Probe Hits 6 Months; When Will It End? Roll Call ($), 3/18

Tex. Businessman Sought Influence in Washington Wall Street Journal ($), 2/18

Dems Reject Move to Strip Rangel of Chairmanship AP, 2/11

Tax-Troubled Rangel to Help Unveil Tax Prep Program Fox News, 2/10

Congressional Ethics Committees Yield Little Punishment ABC News, 2/9

Report: Rangel’s Financial Disclosures Omitted Data Over 30 Yrs New York Times, 2/5

Rangel’s Finances Under Review Roll Call, 2/4

Pols’ Caribbean Trip May Have Broken Rules The Hill, 1/28

Rangel Donation Returned in Expecation of Probe Roll Call ($), 1/28

Rep. Rangel, AIG Sought Favors From Each Other New York Times, 1/5

Rangel Pays Parking Tickets With Campaign Funds CQ Politics, 12/30

This Year in Scandals: Congressmen Behaving Badly ProPublica, 12/24

Trips to Caribbean Appear to Have Broken House Rules The Hill, 12/17

Madoff’s Political Contributions Capital Eye, 12/16

Rangel Investigation Expanded Politico, 12/10

Rangel Disputes Ethics Violations Wall Street Journal ($), 12/9

Rangel Steered Campaign Cash to Son’s Business Politico, 12/5

This Week in Scandals ProPublica, 12/5

NY Times Rebuts Rangel’s Claims on Meeting With Donor Politico, 12/4

Pols’ Trip to the Caribbean Skirted Rules New York Post, 12/3

Rangel Takes on The New York Times Politico, 12/2

Pelosi: Rangel Ethics Probe Will Be Done By Early Jan. Politico, 12/1

Republicans Question Rangel’s Tax Break Support New York Times, 11/26

Rep. Rangel Rebukes ‘Inflammatory’ Media Report CNN, 11/26

Investigations Hamper Rangel’s Sway Politico, 11/25

Rep. Rangel Helped Protect Tax Shelter for Big Donor New York Times, 11/25

Rep. Rangel Reaped DC Home Perk While Renting in NYC New York Post, 11/24

Rep. Rangel (Finally) Hires Forensic Accountant Roll Call ($), 11/13

House Ethics Committee Stymied By ‘Truce’ Reason, 11/12

Rep. Rangel Pays Law Firm With Campaign Funds New York Post, 11/3

Rep. Rangel’s Attorney: Auditor Yet to Be Hired Roll Call ($), 10/28

This Week in Scandals ProPublica, 10/3

Rangel’s Beach Trip Got Ethics Thumbs-Up The Hill ($), 10/1

Dem Calls for Rangel to Step Down Politico, 9/29

House Ethics Committee Votes to Investigate Rep. Rangel Politico, 9/24

Rangel Now Faces Losing Low-Rent Apts. New York Post, 9/23

Senate Candidate Refuses to Return Funds from Rep. Rangel Rocky Mountain News, 9/22

Rangel Pays IRS, Complains of ‘Guerilla War’ AP, 9/22

Ethics Committee Moves Toward Rangel Probe AP, 9/19

Rangel Deflects Blame in Open Letter Politico, 9/19

Rangel’s Illegal Free Parking May Be New Tax Woe New York Post, 9/18

Parties Spar over Convicted Donors Politico, 9/18

Rangel to Stay on Tax Committee AP, 9/17

Rangel Could Face $100K Tab for Audit Roll Call ($), 9/17

Rangel Says He Won’t Leave Ways and Means Post Wall Street Journal ($), 9/16

Rangel, Pressured, Meets With Leaders New York Times, 9/16

Rangel Failed to Report Profit on Condo Sale Roll Call, 9/15

Rep. Rangel to Hire Forensic Accountant to Investigate His Finances The Washington Post, 9/15

More Errors for Rangel; Hires New Accountant The Associated Press, 9/15

Rangel’s Papers in Disarray Roll Call, 9/15

This Week in Scandals ProPublica, 9/12

Dems Stand Up for Rangel Politico, 9/11

Watchdog Names the 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress CREW, 9/10

Rangel Tries to Explain Back Taxes on Villa New York Times, 9/10

Rangel Admits ‘Mistakes,’ Lands on Scandal Watch ProPublica, 9/10

Pelosi: Rangel Won’t Be Forced to Step Aside Politico, 9/10

Rangel to Amend Taxes, GOPers Want Him Removed From Tax Panel Chair ProPublica, 9/9

House Republicans Call on Rangel to Step Aside Politico, 9/9

Rep. Rangel to File Amended Tax Returns Wall Street Journal ($), 9/9

Rep. Rangel Asks for an Inquiry Roll Call ($), 9/9

Rep. Rangel Says He Didn’t Known of Loan Terms Washington Post, 9/8

Interest Was Waived for Rangel On Loan for His Caribbean Villa New York Times, 9/5

Rep. Rangel Failed to Report $75,000 in Income New York Times, 9/5

Rep. Rangel’s Shady Filings on Beach Villa Rental Income New York Post, 9/1

House Defeats GOP Bid to Censure Rep. Rangel AP, 8/1

Real Estate Developers Are Major Rangel Donors New York Times, 7/28

Rep. Rangel Acknowledges Seeking Gifts Washington Post, 7/24

Rep. Rangel’s Letters to Potential Donors Washington Post, 7/18

House Ethics Manual Shows Rule Rangel May Have Broken Washington Post, 7/18

Rangel Says He’ll File Ethics Complaint – Against Himself The Wall Street Journal ($), 7/17

Watchdog Seeks Ethics Probe of Rep. Rangel’s Fundraising for NY Center Washington Post, 7/16

Rep. Rangel to Move Office from Low-Rent NYC Apt AP, 7/15

Rep. Rangel Seeks Funds for Pet Project From Firms with Business Before his Panel Washington Post, 7/15

Rep. Rents Apartments at Bargain Rates The New York Times, 7/11