Joe Conason: A Wave of Phony Indignation Against Charlie Rangel

[flpoljunkie]

Closing paragraphs of...

A wave of phony indignation over Charlie Rangel

GOP leaders shrieking "Democrat corruption" -- like junket-loving John Boehner -- rarely worry much over ethics
BY JOE CONASON

The rule that Rangel violated when he took those now-infamous Caribbean trips was instituted by the Democratic majority as part of its ethics reorganization. This was a rules change that Boehner vocally opposed -- and it is a rule that Boehner would have violated more than once had it been in effect a year or two earlier. Back in July 2006, the New York Times reported on one of Boehner’s many subsidized vacations:

"Mr. Boehner flew to a golf resort in Boca Raton, Fla., in March for a convention of commodities traders, who have contributed more than $100,000 to his campaigns and are lobbying against a proposed federal tax on futures transactions. During the trip, Mr. Boehner assured his hosts that Congress would most likely not approve a tax they opposed. His leadership committee, the Freedom Project, which in recent months has enlisted the use of corporate planes from Federal Express, Aflac and the Florida Power and Light Company, later reimbursed the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for the cost of the Boca Raton trip."

Naturally Boehner’s leadership PAC is funded heavily by corporate interests – so he was “reimbursing” one corporation with money donated to him by others. Boehner has always been known as an obsequious servant of business lobbyists, dating back to the moment in 1995 when he was observed handing out checks from the Brown & Williamson tobacco company political action committee on the House floor. (Confronted by a few naive GOP freshmen, he conceded that such brazen grifting “didn’t look good” and was sorry that he had been caught.)

At this point it is clear that Rangel is guilty of hubris and sloppiness, and perhaps worse. It isn’t easy to understand why he should be branded irredeemably “corrupt,” however, while someone like Boehner is considered an honorable public servant. The notion that he and his cronies would restore ethical standards if they regain the majority must be a joke.

http://www.salon.com/news/charlie_rangel_dny/index.html?story=/opinion/conason/2010/03/04/rangel

[ShortnFiery]

1. In the past, Rangel has served his constituents well ... but his time has PASSED.

What's with these ARROGANT "public servants" we know as CONGRESS MEMBERS? They start to believe their own publicity and think they should serve like The Pope in Rome (until death).

I can't work myself up to DEFEND Charlie Rangel. If he truly loves his Party, he'd resign and give his full support to a younger NY Liberal to replace him. Unfortunately, like the vast majority of other congress-critters, his EGO will not allow him to do the right thing.

At this point, he's merely a strong embarrassment to our party. That's sad given all the good works he's accomplished in the past. He wants to stay "on stage" but the curtain call has passed. :(

[Tippy]

2. I will defend Rangle until we know more. I want proven facts not

Republican talking points...

[flpoljunkie]

3. The article is about the egregious phony Republican outrage. Rangel is still being investigated by

an ethics committee which will do its job--unlike when the Republicans were in power.

[tularetom]

4. The main point of this article isn't necessarily Rangel per se

To me it's Democrats vs republicans and how each deals with a similar embarrassing situation among their membership. While Pelosi and the party leadership have come down pretty heavily on Rangel, do you ever hear anybody within the republican party (or in the news media for that matter) show even an iota of outrage over similar offenses by John Boner?

I'm not condoning what Rangel has done but I believe we have a serious double standard in this country when it comes to political scandals.

[Tippy]

5. We know why Pelosi came down hard on Rangle...

To protect the Party and the President from the fall out...The Republicans plan on keeping this on the front burrner saying that he should resign. Maybe he will need to resign at some point but untill the investigaiton is completed Dems should be saying show us the proof, not agreeing with the Republican talking points by doing so(at this point) they are damaging themselves too. Your right on about the double standard....