More Trouble for Charlie Rangel

The New York Times' David Kocieniewski continues to do a bang-up job of exposing Charlie Rangel as a scoundrel who is not worthy of representing the good people of Harlem. 

First, Kocieniewski reported that Rangel had exploited connections to a wealthy real-estate developer to secure a rent-stabilized home comprised of four separate apartments, one of which he used as a campaign office, in violation of state rules. Then Rangel claimed to have lost track of back taxes owed on a luxury Dominican villa because he couldn't speak Spanish. More recently he all but shook down the chairman of Nabors Industries for a $1 million contribution to the planned Rangel School of Public Service at the City University of New York, and conveniently changed his position on legislation that permitted Nabors to move its headquarters offshore and avoid paying US income taxes. 

Now, Kocieniewski reveals that Rangel lobbied recently bailed-out financial colossus American International Group for a huge donation to the Rangel School before supporting legislation that would save AIG millions a year in taxes. Oh yeah, and Rangel lied about AIG having any business before his House Ways and Means Committee when news of the AIG donation first broke in the Washington Post. 

Smells rotten, Charlie. Really rotten. Hear that? It's the sound of Democratic primary challengers getting their papers in order. It's a sweet sound.