WASHINGTON (AP) — House investigators accused veteran New York Rep. Charles Rangel of 13 violations of congressional ethics standards on Thursday, throwing a cloud over his four-decade political career and raising worries for fellow Democrats about the fall elections.

The allegations — which include failure to report rental income from vacation property in the Dominican Republic and to report more than $600,000 in assets on his congressional financial disclosure statements — came as lawyers for Rangel and the House ethics committee worked on a plea deal.

One was struck, people familiar with the talks said, but Republicans indicated it was too late.

The deal between the lawyers will have little meaning if the committee members don't approve it, and Republicans said at the proceeding they were insisting on going forward with a trial. The panel is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

"Mr. Rangel was given multiple opportunities to settle this matter. Instead, he chose to move forward to the public trial phase," said Rep. Jo Bonner of Alabama, the senior Republican on the ethics panel.

Chairman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) has made clear that she wants the committee to be unanimous — leaving little chance for agreement without Rangel capitulating on virtually all counts.

Many Democrats had urged Rangel to settle the case to avoid the prospect of televised hearings right before November congressional elections that will determine which party controls Congress next year.

However, as Thursday's public airing of the charges drew nearer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seem resigned to the case proceeding.

"The chips will have to fall where they may politically," she told reporters. Pursuing ethics cases against House members is "a serious responsibility that we have," she said.

The alleged violations of House standards of conduct also include using congressional letterhead to solicit donations for a center for public service to bear Rangel's name on the New York campus of the City College of New York.

Rangel was also accused of accepting a rent-stabilized property in Manhattan for his campaign office and initially not paying federal taxes on the Dominican Republic property.

The ethics panel said Rangel failed to report rental income on his original tax returns for 1998 through 2006 from the Dominican Republic villa. It also said he violated federal laws in addition to House ethics rules, including the 1989 Ethics Reform Act, Postal Service laws and government service codes.

The ethics charges, agreed upon after a two-year probe, were read in a public session of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, as the ethics committee is formally known.

Rangel, 80, did not attend.

The session set the stage for a committee trial, expected to be held in September. Democrats had hoped to avoid such a public confrontation as November elections approach.

"We live at a time when public skepticism about the institutions in our country is very high," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., the ethics committee chair.

She said it had been the panel's goal "to by our actions rebuild and earn trust by the public and our colleagues."

Republicans have been trying to turn the case into an indictment of Democratic leadership. Rangel stepped down earlier this year as chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, one of the top posts in the House.

But Bonner told colleagues, "No one, regardless of their partisan stripes, should rejoice."

"It is the duty of the House to punish its members for disorderly behavior. As such, this is truly a sad day," the Alabama Republican said.

Under the tentative plea deal, it was not immediately clear how many of the 13 charges of ethical violations Rangel agreed to accept.

It includes eight members, equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. Thus, for any deal .....

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It was stated that black folks were too lazy to look for a better candidate. What is possible that no challengers were willing to run against Rangel. If he is ousted, some candidates are going to step up to the plate. Who did Charles Rangel think he was, Boss Tweed?

by   
Navi12
July 31, 2010, 4:00 pm
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This has been the plan from day one folks.It's no surprise.If you can't capture the king ,go after the pawns.in the game of chess.Surely these leaders saw this coming? Everybody else did.when the chief justice stumbled over the oath of office.That was the beginning.It's too bad everybody went to sleep.Now, We been took.......We been had.

by   
Jimmyg
July 31, 2010, 3:19 pm
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Guess who's next??

"California Rep. Maxine Waters may face fall ethics trial."

by   
Sharran0412
July 31, 2010, 12:09 pm
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Here comes the bus!!! Mr. Obama has commented on the Rangel scandal:

"He's somebody who's at the end of his career. I'm sure that what he wants is to be able to end his career with dignity. And my hope is that it happens," Obama said in an interview that aired Friday on "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric."

by   
Sharran0412
July 31, 2010, 12:07 pm
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"for some crazy reason they keep reelecting this gentleman"

Answer:

Black folks are too lazy to look for a better candidate. By better I mean one that would put their interest ahead of his or her own.

This is what I mean when I say that skin color does not matter nor does it matter what political party a person belongs to. It is about having a good record, good ideas and good character.

by   
Sharran0412
July 30, 2010, 7:55 pm
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This gentleman has represented the poor people of Harlem for over 40 years. They were poor then and poor now, but for some crazy reason they keep reelecting this gentleman. People have you ever heard of (toyotarunaway org), probably not. Go to that site and read and learn the truth about a lot of things you may not be aware of. This gentleman is past his retirement age and should go home and let someone else have the seat who MIGHT have the people interest in mind.

by   
Moley 1
July 30, 2010, 4:59 pm
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What ever happened to "Innocent until proven guilty"? One day all those who are quick to judge will know how important that phrase really is. Relying on the media for your information to "convict" is foolish. I dealt with Mr. Rangel's office back in 1985 when I was falsely accused after a business deal went bad and the judge turned out to be a friend of the "victim" who was perpetrating a fraud. Rangel's office stepped up and kept me out of jail. So before you rush to judge, get some first hand information or wait until the facts comes out. There are always two sides to every story.....

by   
Euphoria2me
July 30, 2010, 4:42 pm
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Mr Rangel,Everybody that keeps up with the political circus knew that you would become Chairman of one of the most powerful committies in the house .Did you not know that all eyes would be on the target on your back? Who's fault is it that BlackAmerica seems to have lost another champion
for our cause? We thought you were smarter than that

by   
Jimmyg
July 30, 2010, 12:08 pm
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40 years of unchecked criminal behavior will make you pretty damned arrogant, and, they don't come no more uppity than Rangel.

by   
Fj1200
July 30, 2010, 7:23 am
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When have we stooped to the level of accepting a corrupt politician just because he is black as opposed to a politician black or white that represents our best interest. The cbc knows this man is corrupt but seems willing to overlook his transgressions just to keep some one black in the seat, what a shame and how disrespectful.

by   
Hoodtechie2
July 30, 2010, 6:38 am
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The cbc needs to shut up on this issue. This man is corrupt and should be dealt with as such. As a black male it astounds me that the cbc would warn people who have a large black constituent base not to ask rangel to quit, he should do the right thing and step down to save face. I guess the cbc thinks that blacks would rather have a corrupt black politician representing them than not having a black representing them at all, what an insult.

by   
Hoodtechie2
July 30, 2010, 6:38 am
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