Rep. Charlie Rangel walked out of his House ethics trial after the committee weighing his fate refused to delay the proceeding. Rangel, who faces 13 counts of violating House rules, appeared Monday morning without a legal team beside him, saying he could not afford representation and requesting the delay until he could do so.
Despite Rangel's absence, the committee's staff attorneys continued with their case against him, making an early motion for a summary judgment against the long-serving Democrat in order to consider all 13 allegations together. If the summary judgment is not granted and the attorneys call witnesses against Rangel, the committee will vote on the matter. If Rangel is found guilty, the committee will make a recommendation to the full House about punishment, which could range from reprimand to censure to expulsion.
Earlier in the day, the 21-term congressman from New York had explained to the committee members that he spent nearly $2 million in legal fees in the run-up to the trial, complaining that the committee denied him the right to open a legal defense fund to pay for additional lawyers, a statement the committee later refuted.
Rangel cannot accept free legal advice under the House gift ban, but has already used nearly $300,000 from his national leadership PAC to cover attorneys' fees, which is also a violation of House rules.
Rangel's a POS like the rest in DC
