* the charges against Rangel are trivial and should not have risen to this level

Beth Fouhy (AP) writes (8/12/10) …

• New York’s Democratic political establishment came out in force for embattled U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel on Wednesday, packing a sold-out fundraiser to praise Rangel’s service to the city and state over a 40-year career recently tainted by ethics charges.
• “I’ve been to a lot of funerals, and this damn sure isn’t a funeral,” Rangel said to loud cheers.
• Hundreds of supporters crowded into the Grand Ballroom at Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel for the fundraiser, which was tied to Rangel’s 80th birthday. Rangel seemed ebullient as he moved through the crowd, joined by his wife and daughter. Singer Dionne Warwick led the crowd in serenading him to her hit song “That’s What Friends are For.”
• The show of public support for Rangel among the state’s highest officials was the most striking element of the evening, given that many of them — including U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo — will face voters in November.

Read the entire article at … http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100812/ap_on_el_ho/us_rangel_fundraiser

LMW COMMENT …

And well they should stand by Rangel. He may have done some stupid things. Who hasn’t, especially in a 40 year career in the public limelight. But the charges against Rangel are trivial, and should not have risen to this level.