New York Times

Timeline of Charles Rangel Ethics Scandal

Submitted by Peter Flaherty on Mon, 07/26/2010 - 07:05

NY Post/RangelScandals involving his personal ethics have now engulfed Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) for over two years. We peg the start of the present controversy to David Kocieniewski's New York Times story in July 2008. His article prompted us to begin our review of Rangel's finances, resulting in our exposé of Rangel's tax evasion and his acceptance of corporate-funded junkets.

It should be noted, however, that New York Post reporter Geoff Earle wrote a year earlier about Rangel's solicitation of corporate money for the Rangel Center, one of the matters under investigation by the Ethics Commitee. Here's the time line:

New York Papers Scrutinize Meeks Loan Scandal Figure

Submitted by Peter Flaherty on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 12:58

Meeks photoEdul Ahmad, the Guyanese-born businessman who made an unsecured $40,000 loan to Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), is today scrutinized by the New York Times and New York Post. Reporters started digging on Meeks after NLPC raised questions about the Queens congressman’s finances, beginning in January.

According to the New York Times piece by Danny Hakim:

DNC Donor Arrested for Threatening Rep. Cantor, Media Warns of 'Tea Party' Violence

Submitted by Alana Goodman on Tue, 03/30/2010 - 18:47

CantorA Democratic National Committee donor was arrested on Monday for death threats that he made toward Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), but many journalists are still blaming the conservative "tea party" movement for allegedly fomenting political violence.

Philadelphia resident Norman Leboon, 33, was charged for posting a YouTube video in which he threatened to kill Cantor and his family, just days after a bullet was fired through the window of Cantor’s Richmond campaign office by an unknown gunman.

"You receive my bullets in your office, remember they will be placed in your heads. You and your children are Lucifer's abominations," Leboon reportedly said in the video. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Leboon is a Barack Obama supporter, who donated $505 to the Democratic National Committee in June, 2008.

High-Living Congressman Meeks Blames NLPC for Scrutiny

Submitted by Peter Flaherty on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 10:24

According to a New York Times story today titled “Congressman Cries Poor, but Lifestyle May Disagree” by Eric Lipton and Ray Hernandez:

Money is so tight, Representative Gregory W. Meeks says, he does not have a savings account with more than a few thousand dollars in it. And yet Mr. Meeks, one of New York City’s most prominent Democrats, lives a life worthy of a jet-setter.

When he travels, he stays in luxury hotels like the Mondrian South Beach in Miami and the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan, P.R. He drives a Lexus, leased by the federal government, at a cost of $1,000 a month. He eats expensive meals at BLT Steak in Washington and Docks Oyster Bar in Manhattan, among other trendy spots.

Later in the Times article, Meeks attacks NLPC:

NY Times: Rangel is “Gloomy”

Submitted by Peter Flaherty on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 22:02

RangelNew York Times reporters Raymond Hernandez and Jim Rutenberg asserted yesterday:

There seems to be little joy in being Representative Charles B. Rangel these days…as an ethics investigation into his financial dealings continues, Mr. Rangel’s once-considerable clout is diminished and his spirits are often gloomy, friends and associates say, even as he begins to fight back.

Shouldn’t it be taxpayers who are gloomy as long as Rangel remains in office? Each new revelation about Rangel’s finances points to a pattern of corner cutting and corruption that has gone on for decades.

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