Breaking News: House panel denies Rep. Charles Rangel's plea for delay in ethics trial

[cal04]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40190465/ns/politics-more_politics/
A House panel has denied Rep. Charles Rangel's plea to postpone his ethics trial until he can get a new lawyer.

Rangel asks more time to get lawyer in ethics case
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_rangel_ethics_trial

Rep. Charles Rangel of New York implored a House panel Monday to postpone his ethics trial until he can get a new lawyer, arguing that "50 years of public service is on the line."

The former Ways and Means Committee chairman made an impassioned opening statement that said he had run out of money to pay his previous attorney after spending nearly $2 million. The silver-haired, 80-year-old congressman then left the proceedings and the eight panel members — four Democrats and four Republicans — went into a closed session to consider his request for a delay.


http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/ethics_committee_will_hold_rangel_hearing_now_desp.php?ref=fpa
Rangel will not be there.
Rangel has made good on his threat not to attend the rest of the hearing, leaving him effectively defenseless. Lofgren noted that he has a right not to participate.

[Renew Deal]

1. He's had months to get his lawyers straight

And he chose to go down this road. He could have avoided it.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. What probably happened.

His attorney told him the true estimated chances of surviving the hearing. And the estimation wasn't optimistic. Therefore Rangel has to scramble to find another counsel who will either:

a) tell him what he wants to hear regardless of outcome, or
b) use creative negotiating/mediation talent to get him out of this mess.

And the Committee could change from democratic to republican if the matter isn't resolved in about three weeks.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Some RW rags were claiming 20% of the $2M already spent came from improper sources

No links...I won't support them. Google if you must

[Subdivisions]

4. What a dick! You mean to tell me that he showed up without a lawyer???

WTF???

He ran out of money? Ok, let's say that he's being truthful there. So, after 50 years of congressional service and an overwhelming victory in the mid-terms, Rangel can't find a lawyer who will represent him on a promise to pay going forward, or even pro bono? He doesn't have one friend who is a lawyer who can be there with him?

I'm not buying it at all.

[littlewolf]

5. from the NY post

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/rangel_raided_pacs_for_ZlQ9s68r9cadmFBXvTeq1K#ixzz15GsuW1NZ

Rangel, whose ethics trial starts tomorrow, appears to have improperly used political-action committee money to pay for his defense.
Rangel tapped his National Leadership PAC for $293,000 to pay his main legal-defense team this year. He took another $100,000 from the PAC in 2009 to pay lawyer Lanny Davis.

snip

"It's a breach of congressional ethics," one campaign-finance lawyer said.
Washington, DC, political lawyer Cleta Mitchell said there is "no authority for a member to use leadership PAC funds as a slush fund to pay for personal or official expenses."

snip

"The only campaign funds that a member may use to pay for congressional expenses are funds of his or her principal campaign committee -- not the funds of a leadership PAC or a multicandidate committee," according to the House Ethics Manual.
An eight-member ethics subcommittee of four Democrats and four Republicans will convene at 9 a.m. to hear the 13 charges.
They include failure to disclose and pay taxes on his vacation home in the Dominican Republic; his use of a rent-regulated Harlem apartment as a campaign office; and using congressional stationery to raise money for the Rangel Center at City College.


more at the link ....