NY DailyNews: Rangel just like Nixon

[Thunder22]

Just like ex-President Richard Nixon, Rep. Charles Rangel did himself in

ASHINGTON - In 1973 in Orlando, an embattled President Richard Nixon assured a dubious America, "I'm not a crook."

Neither, it must be emphasized today, is Charles Rangel, who, unlike 10 of his congressional colleagues, is not under FBI criminal investigation for anything.

Still, there's this similarity between the Harlem legend and the Watergate-tainted President: They did themselves in.

In Rangel's case, ethical amnesia, terminal corner-cutting, personal hubris and Republican payback brought him down - abetted by a national revulsion toward Washington insiders that threatens the Democrats' hold on power in November.

He never seemed to grasp that the rules have changed since June 1970, when the 39-year-old state assemblyman knocked off Rep. Adam Clayton Powell - a certifiably corrupt pol.

These days, it's harder to pull off taking freebie trips to the Caribbean or failing to disclose or pay taxes on rental income and pass the political smell test.

Rangel wasn't just irked over barbs from the media and the GOP; he seemed genuinely amazed anyone would make a fuss about various financial issues still being probed by the House ethics committee.

Rangel made it more difficult for himself by joining the who-me caucus, blaming his wife, staff and Spanish-speaking landlords for alleged transgressions - everyone but himself.

"When you're chairman of Ways and Means, you've got to understand the rules because you write the rules," a sympathetic but disgusted Democratic powerbroker said. "When you send your boss on a trip, the boss has to make sure it's legit. Ultimately, it's his responsibility."

Now that Rangel has surrendered his dream perch as Ways and Means Committee chief - and make no mistake, the prospect of ever getting his gavel back is infinitesimal - an outpouring of sympathy for the wounded lion emanates from Capitol cloakrooms.

That some of these well-wishers wanted Rangel out adds to the poignancy, and hypocrisy, of the moment.

It's a classic morality tale. Politicians work all their lives to gain positions of power enabling them to do important, good things, only to sacrifice it all by what a longtime Rangel admirer in Democratic ranks calls "morality at the margins."

Rangel deserves better after a distinguished career of military and government service, but this wound is largely self-inflicted.



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