Congressman Charles Rangel Fights Back

Thank God, that Charlie Rangel is not going quietly, now that he is under attack with various scandals by the New York Post, NY Times, and the hate-Hillary-Bill Clinton crowd. He has gotten a letter out to his constituency in Harlem saying that he is going for re-election, and also not giving up his powerful Ways and Means post. Rangel also refused to raise the debt ceiling more than $800-billion, when Tres Sec Paulson wants it to go up infinitely. Excerpts from Charlie's letter from the East Harlem blog:

Open Letter to the Community

The campaign season has begun, and to no great surprise, I'm now a Republican talking point. But I assure you, I've brought no dishonor to my family, the Congress, my constituents, or my country.


Last July, the Republican Party declared guerrilla war against Democrats and since then has made every effort to smear me and members of my party. It wasn't enough that they had denied 10 million American children healthcare, blocked extension of unemployment benefits, and tried to scuttle $2 billion in promised 9-11 recovery funds for New York.

My record in the Ways and Means Committee and 38 years in Congress is unassailable, so they've pried into my private life and used insinuation and half-truths to write stories that sell papers – what car I drive; where I live; where I vacation with my family; and how I handle my personal finances. They've piled on, even questioning my motives for raising funds for a public college in my district.

I've never violated the public trust, so I'm not worried. Independent experts are being called in to correct any mistakes in my government filings. In the meantime, my work as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee has not been affected in any way.

For now, nothing is more important than victory in November. So, I'll continue doing my best to help elect Barack Obama president and to expand the Democratic majority in Congress. At stake are all the hopes of Americans to turn this country around and ensure a better future for our children and grandchildren.