Charlie Rangel's Last Hurrah

Congressman Charles Rangel made it through a tough primary fight on his way to a 22nd term in the House. He overcame the keen opposition of a talented young challenger, of Barack Obama, the New York Times, op-ed writers, political pundits and the shifting demographics of his district. Rangel's success is bemoaned by all of the above for the electorate's failure to punish corruption and to perpetuate the career of a fossil. This is a distorted view of Rangel the man and his politics that does no justice to his remarkable accomplishments. It also smacks of more than a small dose of hypocrisy.

What were the crimes for which he was reprimanded? He contravened NYC housing laws by holding leases on two rent-controlled apartments in the same building with one used as an office. The other sin was not reporting earnings of roughly $100,000 or so that he used to buy a Caribbean condo. In the eyes of our righteous political class in Washington and New York, this is tantamount to high crimes and misdemeanors. So high is the ethical standard in the Congress that its members are deeply offended by this affront to their collective reputation as paragons of moral conduct. The White House too is offended.

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