Rangel walks out of ethics trial

For this weeks entry I found an article/video titled “Rangel walks out on ethics trial” on CNN.com. This article talks about how Democratic Representative Charlie Rangel walked out of his ethics trial Monday afternoon. It speaks of how his request to delay the hearing because he was not given enough time to assemble a new defensive team was rejected by the ethics subcommittee was the reason for his behavior. Rangel faces 13 allegations which include failing to pay taxes on a home in the Dominican Republic, misuse of a rent-controlled apartment for political purposes and improper use of government mail service and letterhead. Although Rangel’s defense team left him in September, one would think that if knew that he was expecting to go to trial that he would assemble a new defense team immediately. However it does say a lot about the trial and Rangel that even his defense team left him. Him leaving the trial affects his ethos, or the persuasive appeal he makes based on who the audience believes he is, negatively because leaving a formal event such as a hearing does not reflect well upon Rangel. It does not look good for him and it does not look good to the committee and the rest of society. Being a U.S. Representative for New York, it also questions his credibility. You would think that someone with his power and status to show some confidence in himself with or without a defense team. Having ethics issues and walking out of a trial does not make the people of New York feel comfortable with him being their representative. He should probably resign as other House Republicans and Democrats have told him to do so. He should of planned ahead of time. http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/15/rangel.ethics.hearing/