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WASHINGTON — Rep. Charles Rangel yesterday offered “heartfelt apologies” for his embarrassing ethical misconduct yesterday, while his New York colleagues distanced themselves from the looming censure vote against the disgraced Harlem Democrat.
“There is no excuse for my acts of omission,” Rangel wrote in an e-mail to supporters. “All of this has been brought upon me as a result of my own mistakes.”
Rangel, who faces the House censure vote after being found guilty of 11 ethics violations involving financial misdeeds and misuse of his congressional office, insisted in the message that his mistakes were honest errors and not acts of corruption for personal gain.
Rangel, a decorated Korean War veteran, said his conviction last week by the House ethics committee was “one of the most difficult days of my life since I was left for dead in North Korea, sixty years ago.”
He asked “that you would judge me on my entire record as a soldier and a dedicated public servant — not only by my mistakes.”
Meanwhile, fellow New York-area House members dread the day they will have to vote on censuring Rangel, which is expected after Congress reconvenes next week following the Thanksgiving break.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a lot of absences that day,” a New York congressional aide said.
All but two of the 17 members of the region’s House delegation ducked questions about the vote.
Democrats staying mum included Queens Reps. Joe Crowley and Gregory Meeks, Brooklyn Rep. Ed Towns and Brooklyn/Queens Rep. Anthony Weiner, a mayoral aspirant.
Rep. Pete King (R-LI) said he was still making up his mind. Rep. Tim Bishop (D-LI) said he was “reluctant” to comment before reviewing the ethics report.