July 17, 2008 -- This hasn’t been Rep. Charlie Rangel’s (D-NY) week. The Washington Post accused the Congressman of seeking donations from businesses with issues before his committee for a new public policy school that bears his name. Separately the New York Times alleges that Rangel, the Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has been paying cheaper rent than his neighbors.

This morning Rangel came out swinging at a press conference on the hill, which he said was his intention: to grab a headline. His opponent was the Washington Post and its reporter, Christopher Lee, which he says mislead the public with accusations that he has misused his office for personal gain.

Rangel, who was quite annoyed and aggressive, said all of the people he wrote letters to about the college were from non-for-profits. He says non profits don’t have business before his committee. Now Rangel says he will ask the House Ethics Committee to investigate whether he violated any Congressional ethics rules, unless another group beats him to the punch.

Below is a condensed version of the press conference. The first half is him lashing out at the Post, and the last half is him defending himself against the allegations from the NY Times.

Also below are the letters Rangel sent out about his school.

1) Rep. Charlie Rangel's letter to the New World Foundation
http://www.askyourlawmaker.org/sites/all/files/112552.JPG
http://www.askyourlawmaker.org/sites/all/files/112605.JPG

2) Rangel's letter to Carnegie Corporation of New York
http://www.askyourlawmaker.org/sites/all/files/112614.JPG

3) Rangel's letter to David Rockefeller:
http://www.askyourlawmaker.org/sites/all/files/112624.JPG
http://www.askyourlawmaker.org/sites/all/files/112652.JPG

Listen to the press conference