Rangel Trial Starts Today with Surprise

 Longtime Congressman Charlie Rangel is finally on trial in the House of Representatives for various corruption charges. Rangel has been one of the most prolific spenders not only on bills but on himself. He's finally being held to account-- before the Republicans even get a chance to be the majority.

But the trial that opens today comes with a surprise-- that Rangel had improperly used funds from a Political Action Committee to pay for his own defense. And not only did he use funds, he allegedly used a lot of them-- almost $400,000.

Rangel's office refused to comment on the PAC money. On top of the $393,000 in PAC funds, records show Rangel yanked $1.4 million from his campaign coffers in 2009 and 2010 to pay the firm Zuckerman Spaeder, his main legal-defense team, and $100,000 in 2009 to pay Davis' firm. 

Obviously we can't foresee what will happen in the ethics hearings but they've been a long time coming. Rangel has been flouting the ethics rules for a while, including allegedly using money from campaigning to pay for vacation property. Other charges include:

• Misusing office to create center in his honor.
• Used free postage to ask for donations.
• Received over $1 million consulting with a firm while he was Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. This happened while meeting with a lobbyist from the firm about tax laws.
• Failure to report income.
• Using rent-stabilized property as a campaign headquarters.

Altogether there are 13 charges against the New York City Congressman and it appears that he won't be squirming out of any anytime soon.

Rangel has been out of the limelight lately as the Democrats did not want a corruption scandal going public. However, the people in his district don't seem to care, renominating him in the Democratic primary against a challenger and giving him 80% in this month's elections.

UPDATE: According to FoxNews Rangel has apparently 'excused' himself from the hearing.

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