Spoke Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review , to learn that Patrick Murphy, PA-8 (D) is one of the early Dems to panic at Charlie Rangel's circus and to call for Rangel's resignation from Congress. Murphy returned $19K to Rangel's PAC and washed his hands. Other Rust Belt Dems are following in returning the PAC money to Rangel, such as Paul Kanjorski PA-11 (D) and John Boccieri OH-16 (D). Is this the Democrats' Mark Foley scandal? Whispering close. Will Rangel resign? The five Republicans on the Ethics Committee (including the robust Charlie Dent PA-9 (R), are now refusing Rangel's offer of a deal, saying it is too late. There will be Blue Team blood.
It's hardly surprising that Rangel is just another corrupt poverty pimp with a nice tie. The country can't win in this scenario. If he is acquitted of the corruption charges, then all we'll hear about is how we still haven't conquered systemic racism after all this time (never mind the clean one (hat tip: Joe Biden) in the White House). If he is convicted, all we'll hear about is how he was targeted for his convictions and courageous actions how we still haven't conquered systemic racism after all this time (never mind...). If he resigns, all we'll hear about is how great a guy he was and how much good he did and how much his constituents loved him and how we still haven't conquered systemic racism after all this time (never mind...). I might as well just barf now and get it out of the way.
Well, if he resigns, it certainly increases, if only slightly, the chances of the young black X-Jets defensive lineman running against him as a Republican. Those dim public fisc addicts in Rangel's district will probably just write him in and he'll be right back in the seat come Jan 11. I believe the ancestors of the current voters in that district returned Adam Clayton Powell immediately after he was kicked out of Congress. We had the same problem in DC with Marion Barry. These old civil rights bulls think they can get away with murder because their constituents love to "stick it to Whitey" by repeatedly returning them to office. The more the establishment dislikes the misbehaving black pol, the more his constituents love him.
Republicans are about to get snookered again. By insisting on a show trial, it takes the focus away from a whole litany of Democrat policy failures. The Dems could also claim that they are taking care of corruption within their own ranks.
Rangel has been a good Democrat. He has had a long and worthy career carrying water for the Democrat Party. Yet, to my knowledge, he has never played the race card. This is what may be rankling the Democrats the most.
As for his alleged corruption - failure to report income, pay taxes and so on… - this is something that most of the members of the current administration are guilty of. Again, we find a policy of selective enforcement on display.
Get the best deal you can, Charlie, and resign, keeping your innate dignity in tact. Do not let them turn you into a piñata for their own political purposes. Perhaps now you’ll understand that your mortal enemy was never Republicans (with whom you sparred honorably). Your political enemies were always right there in your own nest.
http://peterkoelliker.blogspot.com/
http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/
Well, if he resigns, it certainly increases, if only slightly, the chances of the young black X-Jets defensive lineman running against him as a Republican. Those dim public fisc addicts in Rangel's district will probably just write him in and he'll be right back in the seat come Jan 11. I believe the ancestors of the current voters in that district returned Adam Clayton Powell immediately after he was kicked out of Congress. We had the same problem in DC with Marion Barry. These old civil rights bulls think they can get away with murder because their constituents love to "stick it to Whitey" by repeatedly returning them to office. The more the establishment dislikes the misbehaving black pol, the more his constituents love him.