Opinion

Charlie’s buck-passing: just one more excuse

Here we go again with Rep. Charlie Rangel and his ongoing mantra, “I did nothing wrong” (“Charlie the Coward,” Editorial, Feb. 28).

Rangel allegedly has been lying about his freebie Caribbean junkets and plane tickets from corporate sponsors and his attempt to avoid paying federal income taxes.

The real joke here is the bogus report from the House Ethics Committee.

Rangel is adamant that he will not give up his seat and fully plans to run for re-election.

It appears that the panel is being directed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to review Charlie’s behavior one act at a time. This course of action will have the effect of minimizing the full measure of Rangel’s acts.

R. Molina

Howard Beach

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It’s funny how conservatives take all the negative flak, yet Democrats shed illegal corruption like water off a duck’s back.

Even though Rangel is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, he remains seated. Evidently, his office was the way he got the means.

Francis Figiola

Hartsdale

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Rangel says the House Ethics Committee’s “admonishment” actually exonerates him, because he claims not to have actually seen the advisory memos acknowledging his junket’s corporate sponsors.

But the committee says it was his responsibility to know. Otherwise, unethical public officials could cheat with impunity by using staff as a firewall.

Rangel’s theory of plausible deniability is pathetic — but so is a Congress that seats members who took campaign money from Rangel’s slush fund.

Ray Arroyo

Westwood, NJ

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Rangel is a disgrace and needs to be removed from office in handcuffs. It is the only way this self-absorbed, ill-fitted, grumpy congressman with a real zest for concocting excuses to cover up his unethical behavior will leave.

This man is a joke to the hardworking and loving people he represents in Harlem.

Just imagine what we will learn about him once he leaves office and the whistleblowers begin to be heard.

K. Kamen

Baldwin

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Rangel should have been out of office a long time ago. You and I would be wearing prison stripes if we tried the shenanigans he’s gotten away with.

Rangel and the president seem to have certain character traits in common — they both blame anyone but themselves for their problems.

Patricia O’Hanlon

The Bronx

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How many more investigations is Rangel going to be the subject of before he gets the boot?

It’s time to go, Rangel. Let someone else do the job. You’re too comfortable.

Joseph Cavaliere

Valley Stream