NY Times Poll: Time To Leave Office, Rangel

Rangel at a campaign event last month (Bebeto Matthews/AP)

Hey, it's time for another NY Times poll. This one asked registered voters in Manhattan about Rep. Charles Rangel: "70 percent of Manhattan voters want him to end his Congressional career: 46 percent said he should give up his campaign and step down at the end of his term, and 24 percent said he should resign now. Twenty-three percent said he should seek a new term."

Of course, there's a caveat with the poll: The poll was conducted of voters (195 total) in all of Manhattan, while Rangel's district, the 15th, is only upper Manhattan, plus Rikers Island and a small part of Queens. A Flatiron District resident said, "I feel he should have known that you can have only one rent-stabilized apartment and it has to be your primary residence. Having four is not legal," referring to one of Rangel's many ethics woes, "I don’t think he should resign because the term is almost over anyway, but he should not run again."

However, an Upper West Side resident said, "I am in his district, and everyone here says the same thing. We think he is well qualified. He is always available and has done a good job for his community. The fact that we’ve kept him there for a long time should speak for itself. Why would we change now? We voted for him for a reason." Yesterday, the Daily News found, "Harlem voters say their two top contenders for Congress - incumbent Charles Rangel and Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV - leave them with a choice between bad and worse. 'Everybody wishes there were better options,' said Pax Williams, a 33-year-old party promoter who plans to vote for Rangel because 'you don't want to get anyone worse.'" The primary is on September 14.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 4, 2010 3:10 PM

Comments [rss]

John L

Congressional Charities Are Pulling In Corporate Cash

"It is illegal for lawmakers to use government resources — including letterhead or staff members — to help run their charities. But the lines are often blurred. For example, Dalton J. Tresvant, a full-time House aide to Mr. Clyburn, also organizes, as a volunteer, Mr. Clyburn’s annual golf tournament. ...."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/us/politics/06charity.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Here is an article in yesterday's NY Times (September 5, 2010) about the very things that Charles Rangel is accused of. What Mr. Rangel is accused of is very common in Congress. So why is he being singled out? Why were his records scrutinized? I think those are the questions his constituents are asking and that's why they'll look past it and vote him in again.

This is also why they were practically begging Rangel to take a deal because. All his fellow members of Congress are scared of casting the first stone because they know they all live in glass houses.

Let's not get blinded by propaganda disguised as news.

Whenever you see a political party go against one of its own rest assured that there are some long strings being pulled by the puppet masters. Its the way this game is played.

Mr. Rangel was a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton and had some ugly words for Obama during the presidential primary and this was simply payback. A political witch hunt much like Paterson's witch hunt for going against the White House's wishes to appoint Caroline Kennedy to Hillary Clinton's old post.

Stevennnn

Maybe he can have a heart attack and just drop dead.

inoyourider

Rangel's a disgrace and lost us the Chair of Ways and Means.

That's enough to call for resignation, let alone all this other BS.

madjoy

agreed. He was useful as Chair of Ways & Means, and he's been good for the community, but it's time for him to go and let fresh new blood in to start racking up seniority points. Vote TASINI!

http://jonathantasini.com/

John L

You ever think that if it wasn't for Rangel we would've never had the Chair of Ways and Means.

inoyourider

Moot point now that it's gone.

John L

At the end of day what matters is what he'd done for his district and Charle Rangel has been good to his constituents. His district will see past this political witch hunt and re-elect him, not because they're stupid and don't know any better, but because of his unwavering commitment to them.

Go Rangel!

used_up_shoe

Gothamist commentators: "I don't agree with black people so they must be stupid."

used_up_shoe

And, for the record, I think this ass should be thrown in jail, but I can say that with out quasi-racist attacks on those who live in his district.

Spirit of 76

People get the leaders they deserve. Unfortunately, the rest of the city and the rest of the country also have to put up with him. Any chance we can let Harlem secede from the union? While we're at it, I wouldn't mind losing Arizona and Texas.