The start of the Rangel scandals can be pegged 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.
July 23, 2007
Geoff Earle of the New York Post reports that Rangel is soliciting funds for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service from corporations that have interests before Congress, and that Rangel secured a $2 million “seed money” earmark from Congress.
July 11, 2008
New York Times’ David Kocieniewski reports that Rangel occupies three rent-stabilized apartments in a luxury building, and uses a fourth as a campaign office.
July 14, 2008
NLPC files Complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging use of a rent-stabilized apartment for a campaign office comprises an illegal corporate contribution from the landlord. Rangel announces he will close the office.
July 15, 2008
Christopher Lee of the Washington Post reports that Rangel solicited donations on Congressional letterhead for the so-called Charles B. Rangel School of Public Service at City College of New York (CCNY), in violation of House rules.
August 2008
NLPC staff reviews Rangel’s financial disclosure forms and notices that he has a home in the Dominican Republic, but reports little or no rent. NLPC sends an investigator to Dominican Republic who finds that the beachfront “villa” is continuously rented out.
August 31, 2008
New York Post runs front-page story by Isabel Vincent and Susan Edelman with an unflattering photo of Rangel in beach chair, following Vincent’s trip to Dominican Republic.
September 5, 2008
September 24, 2008
November 6-9, 2008
Rangel leads Citigroup-funded Congressional junket to Caribbean island of St. Maarten. NLPC President Peter Flaherty attends and documents violations of House Rules, leading to New York Post feature story.
November 24, 2008
New York Times’ David Kocieniewski reports that Rangel helped preserve a lucrative tax break for Nabors Industries at the same time Nabors’ CEO Eugene Isenberg pledged $1 million to the Rangel School at CCNY.
November 26, 2008
NLPC files a Complaint with the House Ethics Committee alleging that Rangel violated House Rules by cheating on his taxes by improperly claiming a homestead exemption on a D. C. property.
December 9, 2008
Geoff Earle of the New York Post reports that Rangel is soliciting funds for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service from corporations that have interests before Congress, and that Rangel secured a $2 million “seed money” earmark from Congress.
January 28, 2009
Rep. John Carter (R-TX) introduces “Rangel Rule” bill to eliminate all IRS penalties and interest for paying taxes past due.
February 1, 2009
On CSPAN Newsmakers program Rangel predicts that “as soon as the Ethics Committee organizes they ought to be able to dismiss this.” Rangel also accuses journalists as being “an arm of this organization (NLPC).” In a letter to supporters, Rangel says reporters do NLPC’s “dirty work.”
February 4, 2009
Sunlight Foundation issues report showing Rangel failed to report purchases, sales or his ownership of assets at least 28 times since 1978 on his personal financial disclosure forms. Assets worth between $239,026 and $831,000 appeared and disappeared with no disclosure of when they were acquired, how long they were held, or when they were sold, as House Rules require.
May 22, 2009
House Ethics Committee asks NLPC President Peter Flaherty to provide photographs, recordings and other materials from the St. Maartens junket.
May 29, 2009
About the Ethics Committee probe, Rangel tells Dow Jones Newswires, “I am optimistic that this very soon will be wrapped up.”
August 12, 2009
Rangel files amended financial disclosure forms for 2002 to 2006. As a result, his reported net worth roughly doubled. The originals were signed under penalty of the False Statements Act.
September 16, 2009
NLPC files Complaint with the House Ethics Committee alleging that Rangel disclosed little or no rental income for eight years (1993-2001) on a six-unit Harlem brownstone, even though public records show tenants were living there.
October 8, 2009
The House Ethics Committee announces that it is expanding Rangel investigation into “all Financial Disclosure Statements and all amendments filed in the calendar year 2009.”
February 26, 2010
The House Ethics Committee “admonishes” Rangel for accepting Caribbean trips based on photographs, recordings and other materials provided by NLPC. The Committee clears five other members of Congress. Rangel claims that he didn’t know the trips were corporate sponsored. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defends Rangel and asserts that he “did not violate the rules of the House.”
February 26, 2010
The Committee also found that the organizers of the trips, a couple named Karl and Faye Rodney, who operate Carib News or Carib News Foundation, submitted “false or misleading” information to the Committee under oath. The matter was referred to the Justice Department.
March 3, 2010
Rangel steps down as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, claiming the move is temporary.
July 22, 2010
Ethics Committee announces that its subcommittee investigating Rangel alleges House Rules violations, and that they will be made public on July 29. The matter is referred to an “adjudicatory subcommittee” to try Rangel and determine guilt.
July 29, 2010
House Ethics Committee charges Rangel with violating House rules on 13 counts.
July 30, 2010
President Obama calls the charges “very troubling” and says that Rangel should “end his career with dignity.”
August 9, 2010
NLPC files a formal Complaint with the House Ethics Committee against Rangel alleging a pattern of corruption and cronyism at Alianza Dominicana, a New York group to which Rangel has direct millions in earmarks.
August 10, 2010
Rangel makes speech on the House floor daring his colleagues to expel him. He attacks NLPC and claimed, “And they followed me on vacation. They followed me when I was doing business. They’re at the airport. They’re outside where I live. It’s kind of rough.”
August 15, 2010
The New York Post reports that New York City cut off funding for Alianza Dominicana, a nonprofit group for which Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) secured a $2.6 million federal earmark in June. In addition, the group is the subject of a probe by the Department of Investigation (DOI), the City’s version of the FBI.
August 24, 2010
David Kocieniewski reports in the New York Times that former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau owned stock in Nabors Industries at the time he introduced the company’s CEO Eugene Isenberg to Rangel.
August 23, 2010
Rangel responds to President Obama’s recommendation that Rangel “should end his career with dignity.” Rangel said, “Frankly, he has not been around long enough to determine what my dignity is.”
September 14, 2010
Rangel wins Democratic primary with 50% of the vote against five challengers.
September 28, 2010
Ranking member Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) and all other Republicans on the Ethics Committee accuse Ethics Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren of “stalling” the Rangel investigation.
October 7, 2010
House Ethics Committee announces that it will delay ethics trials of Reps. Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters until after the election.
November 2, 2010
Rangel is re-elected.
November 15, 2010
Ethics Committee commences Rangel trial. Rangel walks out after maintaining that he is entitled to counsel. The Committee proceeds anyway.
November 16, 2010
Rangel is convicted on 11 counts by an adjudicatory subcommittee.
November 18, 2010
The Ethics Committee voted 9–1 to recommend that the full House approve a sanction of censure against Rangel.
December 2, 2010
The House of Representatives voted 333–79 to censure Rangel. A motion to amend the resolution for a simple reprimand was voted down 267–146. Consistent with House custom, Rangel went to the well of the House to hear Speaker Pelosi read the formal measure of censure. Rangel became the first House member to be censured in 27 years. He was only the 23rd House member to be censured.
January 3, 2017
Rangel finally leaves office after not running for re-election in 2016.