Rep. Charles Rangel’s scandal woes began three years ago, when The Post disclosed that he was soliciting massive donations from companies with interests before Congress in a bid to bankroll a center in his name at CCNY.
The July 23, 2007, bombshell by Washington correspondent Geoff Earle detailed how Rangel, then the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, had attempted to quietly secure close to $25 million from a slew of private companies and foundations for the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service. Those ponying up cash included AIG, the Verizon Foundation and Eugene Isenberg, the CEO of the energy firm Nabors Industries.
Another Post exclusive, on Aug. 31, 2008, by reporters Isabel Vincent and Susan Edelman, revealed that Rangel owned a luxurious beachfront villa in the Dominican Republic for 20 years, but declared income on it only sporadically.
He later admitted he had failed to disclose $75,000 in rental income since 1988, and amended his tax returns.
There were further disclosures in a series of Post stories in late August of 2009. Washington Bureau Chief Charles Hurt showed that Rangel had failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in outside assets and income on financial-disclosure forms he filed between 2002 and 2006.
The New York Times broke the story that the Harlem Democratic lawmaker had four rent-stabilized units in the Lenox Terrace building, and was improperly using one of them as a campaign office.
Punta Cana villa
CHARGE: “Failed to report rental income” and pay taxes on the villa he owned in the Punta Cana region of the Dominican Republic on income-tax returns for nine years.
EVIDENCE: Bought the villa in March 1987 and didn’t “report any rental income from Punta Cana on his original federal income-tax returns for calendar years between 1998 through 2006.” Also failed to report or misreported the income on his annual financial-disclosure forms. In amended tax returns for 2004 to 2007, Rangel reported villa-related income ranging from $5,030 to $8,467 a year.
Financial disclosure
CHARGE: Violated federal law for 10 years by failing to report and misreporting “numerous items required to be reported” — including over $600,000 in assets and income — under the Ethics in Government Act.
EVIDENCE: Neglected to report his large holdings of various stocks, including Bell Atlantic, Verizon and Pepsico, several mutual funds and the Congressional Federal Credit Union. Also owned a brownstone at 74 W. 132nd St. but didn’t disclose its rental income in four years and grossly underreported it in two other years.
CCNY center
CHARGE:
Violated the US code barring members of Congress from soliciting or accepting “anything of value” from a person with interests before Congress, and misusing his “official resources” and letterhead. Also broke the House gift rule against soliciting lobbyists.
EVIDENCE:
Began raising money in 2005 for the “Charles Rangel Center at the City College of New York,” which would have a “well-furnished office” for himself. Ordered his staff to prepare a fund-raising appeal to more than 100 fat-cat foundations. Rangel signed all the letters, which bore “United States Congress” letterhead.
Rent-stabilized apartments
CHARGE: Ran afoul of the Code of Ethics for Government Service when he got an improper benefit from a New York firm, the Olnick Organization, in the form of a rent-stabilized residential apartment that was used as office space.
EVIDENCE:
Signed a “living purposes only” lease in 1996 for an apartment in Olnick-owned Lenox Terrace, saying his son would live there. But it was occupied solely by his campaign committee and a political-action committee. Rangel was put on a “special handling list” at the apartment complex because he was a member of Congress.