When The Public Servants Forget Who They Are, They Act Like Charles Rangel
When it comes to corruption it does not matter what party the politician belongs to, for an example, we all have heard about pay-top-play politics of Illinois, which is solidly in the hand of the Democratic Party. And now take the case of another Democrat, Charlie Rangel, who faces 13 counts of ethics violations.
The list of accusations against Rangel is too long and they are far from trivial, there is no way one can call this as witch-hunt by the opposition. Some of those allegations are so serious that they clearly demonstrate that Rangel had been so long in the government that he was thinking himself a part of it, and hence it is time for him to go.
For a politician who had been in power for nearly four decades he should have known better, for he had been instrumental in formation of some of those rules that he violated blatantly. Instead of serving people, he thought the institutions are there to serve him.
I believe in the adage—not guilty until proven, nevertheless, this is a case that is plain and simple. Rangel had used official stationery, and other public property for fund raising, and engaged his staff for this purpose when they were on time that was paid with public money. There are evidences to prove these allegations.
House Minority Leader John Boehner commented on Thursday, “This isn't about Charlie Rangel. This is about Speaker Pelosi’s most glaring promise that she’s broken,” and I could not agree more.
It is rumored that there may be a plea deal between Rangel and the committee. The Republicans think that time for that sort of deal has long passed, and they are definitely right. Jo Bonner, the senior Republican from Alabama on the ethics panel, said, “Mr. Rangel was given multiple opportunities to settle this matter. Instead, he chose to move forward to the public trial phase.” Mike McCaul of Texas, another Republican said, “This is the trial phase.”
Mr. Rangel deserves the chance to prove his innocence, but no deal must be cut to save him, lest the Democratic Party will pay heavily in the November poll.
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