He was the consummate Harlem congressman, beloved in his district for decades until a string of embarrassing ethics scandals finally brought him down — and he left in disgrace thanks to an ambitious upstart named Charles Rangel.
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. — New York’s first black congressman — championed civil rights and fought to bring jobs to his constituents.
But he was defeated by Rangel in the 1970 Democratic primary after being hit by scandals — including putting his wife and girlfriend on the payroll.
At a congressional hearing, his wife testified that she didn’t do any work from the summer of 1965 until she was fired in January 1966.
Even worse, she rarely got a paycheck. Somehow, the money ended up in her estranged husband’s bank account.
His son, Adam Clayton Powell IV, plans to challenge Rangel for his dad’s old seat.