Hastings criticizes delay in Rangel probe

The top Republican on the House ethics committee took the unusual step Thursday of publicly complaining that the panel has been dragging its feet in its investigation into Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel’s (D-N.Y.) ethics controversy.

In a statement, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) said he has been trying to persuade the ethics panel to launch an investigative subcommittee into Rangel’s ethics mess since July.

{mosads}“It has been my repeatedly stated intention since July that the committee should form an investigative subcommittee to look into matters relating to Rep. Rangel,” Hastings said. “This has been delayed for far too long. Action should have been taken in July or since the House reconvened two weeks ago.”

The ethics committee forms investigative subcommittees when it is probing a matter with serious implications for a member. Otherwise, the panel simply can review ethics allegations and issue an advisory opinion.

Ethics members rarely speak publicly about private committee deliberations on even the mildest of matters. Complaining about internal committee decisions, or the lack thereof, is even more rare.

Hastings noted that he had conferred with the panel’s chairman before issuing the statement, as required by committee rules.

Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), the committee’s acting chairman, attempted to quell any questions that the panel was dragging its feet. He said the panel would meet Sept. 24 to begin investigating Rangel, at the New York Democrat’s request.

“It is my intent to recommend to ranking member Hastings and the committee that we honor Chairman Rangel’s request,” Green said in a statement.

Hastings indicated the ethics panel should take the allegations against Rangel very seriously. He said he will recommend that the investigative subcommittee be led by Green and himself, with the other two positions being filled by senior members of the panel.

He also argued an outside special counsel should help staff the investigation based on “Rangel’s public admission that special expertise is needed to understand and uncover the facts of his financial records and public filings.”

“I regret having to issue this statement and do not intend to comment further,” Hastings concluded.

The comments came after Democrats easily tabled a motion House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) offered to force Rangel to give up his chairmanship while the ethics committee investigates the charges. The motion was tabled 226-176, with only the five Democrats on the ethics panel voting “present” and eight Democrats not voting.

Only five Republicans voted to table the measure. Twenty-five GOPers voted with Democrats in July to jettison a Boehner motion to censure Rangel. Last week, Boehner warned his colleagues not to vote against opening a debate on a Rangel investigation.

GOP Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), who lost his primary and will retire at the end of this Congress, Walter Jones (N.C.), Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.), Jim Ramstad (Minn.) and Ron Paul (Texas) voted against Boehner’s motion. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee, and Rep. Jerry Lewis (Calif.), the top Republican on the Appropriations panel, who are both under federal criminal investigation for questionable earmarks, voted with Boehner.