Rangel: Dems Want to Wash Off Swamp Rat, Not Censure Him

Democrats are trying to move for Rangel to get an even lighter punishment that censure: a reprimand. This for a man who flaunted power and who circumvented the tax code he helped write. Rangel has been corrupt for many years, and censure is light considering the length and depth of his crimes. However, the same people who said they wanted to 'clean the swamp' appear to just want to give Charlie a sponge bath instead of an acid shower:

Rep. Charles Rangel lobbied colleagues against long odds Thursday in an effort to receive punishment milder than censure by the House for ethical misconduct.

A half-dozen supporters spoke on Rangel's behalf at a closed-door Democratic meeting hours before the House was to discipline the New York Democrat for financial and fundraising misconduct. But Rangel would need to overcome the 9-1 vote for censure from an ethics panel that has five members from each party.

"I think it's important for members on both sides of the aisle to support the work of the committee," said Republican Rep. John Boehner, who will become the House speaker in January.

Nonetheless, Rangel backers were pushing for an initial vote on a reprimand instead of censure.

If the House votes for censure as expected, Rangel will have to walk to the front of the chamber and stand before his colleagues while Speaker Nancy Pelosi — in one of her most solemn duties — reads him the censure resolution.

That would be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!