Ethics Group Says Rangel Personally Benefited From Fund-Raiser
- New York Post
- Jun 24, 2015
- 1 min read
Rep. Charles Rangel violated ethics rules when he sent out a fund-raising appeal asking for money to “help me enact laws that open trade with Cuba,” a watchdog group has charged.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust has asked the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate the alleged ethical breach.
“It is contrary to House Ethics Rules for a Member to solicit campaign contributions related to official House activity,” wrote Matthew Whitaker, the executive director of the Washington, DC-based group.
Rangel, who has said he is retiring at the end of his current term in 2016, still sent appeals for campaign cash last month.
The Rangel for Congress campaign committee is saddled with debt, owing $135,833 as of March 31, according to its latest filings, which showed it had just $4,473 on hand.
But records show the campaign owes most of that money to Rangel, who loaned his committee $100,000.
Whitaker said Rangel’s fund-raising efforts had a “direct financial benefit” to the congressman.
Darren Rigger, who is in charge of fund-raising for Rangel, shot back.
“The accusations are frivolous and have no merit,” he said. “The point of the [fund-raising] e-mail is to show that Congressman Rangel is not done working and fighting for change.”
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