FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
What are they waiting for? It's been almost two years since the house ethics committee started investigating Congressman Charlie Rangel... and so far - nothing.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/07/art.rangel.jpg caption="Congressman Charlie Rangel"]
Meanwhile the 79-year-old New York lawmaker has filed for re-election. Rangel wants to run for his 21st term in the house; but first he has to win the Democratic party primary on September 14.
So will the ethics committee release its report before then? If they do... and if the report is damaging... Rangel could be toast. But, if they hold the report until after the election - chances are Rangel will win again. This could also raise political questions about the timing of the report.
As one Democrat tells Politico: "It would let everyone say that this is a cover up, that it's just the same old ethics system." And that's right on the money. Remember when the Democrats took control of the house in 2006? Nancy Pelosi promised they would "drain the swamp" after a decade of Republican rule. Sure.
The leaders of the ethics committee aren't commenting on the Rangel case. For his part, Rangel insists he's innocent - that no wrongdoing has been found. He says he gave up his powerful chairmanship of the ways and means committee so he wouldn't be a target for Republicans.
Nonetheless, Rangel is being investigated for a wide range of allegations - from using his chairmanship to raise money for a public service center that carries his name... to failing to pay taxes on income from a home in the Dominican Republic... to hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets and income on a financial disclosure form.
Here’s my question to you: Isn't it past time for the House Ethics Committee to release its findings on Congressman Charlie Rangel?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Lori in Pennsylvania writes:
Jack, Yes. Two years is more than enough time to investigate Congressman Charlie Rangel. The House Ethics Committee needs to release a report, or drop the investigation if they were unable to find evidence of wrongdoing.
Matt in Rockford, Illinois writes:
Of course it is but there is no motivation for them to "rat" each other out because they believe the voters are mindless robots and we will reelect them. I sure hope they are wrong about us.
Carolyn writes:
The results of Rangel's investigation will not be released until the elections are over. If what was found in the investigation was positive, it would have been released long ago, so that Mr. Rangel could resume his duties as the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. In politics, it is all about re-election. But isn't that our fault (the voters) because we keep reelecting the same people? Why would you vote for someone with this kind of investigation pending? His name is probably the only one that some voters recognize on the ballot, so they vote for him again and again.
Leslie writes:
Not only is it unethical for the ethics committee to withhold this information but it does not allow the public the ability to make an informed decision in the voting booth. My question is, how much money do these committees cost and why does it take two years to find out if he committed an ethics violation?
Robb writes:
Jack, Rangel is just one more example of why there should be term limits for ALL politicians. This crook has been in Washington for 20 terms. Enough is enough, Rangel should be in prison.
Larry in Ohio writes:
Jack, Looks like it is time for someone to look into the ethics of the ethics committee!