Our congressional district is caught in a time warp.
Flashback to 2006 when then-candidate for Congress Zack Space stated that the incumbent “represented the culture of corruption in Washington.” His campaign later attacked his opponent as being “tied at the hip to the most corrupt politicians” while noting “Zack Space: the man who signed an ethics pledge.” Further stating that the voters of the 18th district “need new leaders and fresh faces.”
Now, Space is in office, in part thanks to the tens of thousands of dollars he received from House Ways and Means Chair Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.). Rangel paid below market rates for four rent stabilized apartments, one of which he used as a campaign office in apparent violation of New York law. Further, Rangel “helped preserve a valuable tax loophole for an oil and gas drilling company while the company’s chief executive, Eugene M. Isenberg, was pledging $1 million to the Charles B. Rangel School of Public Service” as reported by the New York Times.
Despite Rangel’s insistence that the mutual favors were coincidental, The Washington Post noted that “the day the tax legislation was being considered in his committee, Mr. Rangel met in New York City with Mr. Isenberg to discuss support of the Rangel School. Then Mr. Isenberg escorted Mr. Rangel across the room to his lobbyist.” The Post has sought Rangel’s resignation as chair of the powerful Congressional committee.
Who has ties to Washington’s culture of corruption? What about that ethics pledge Space signed? It appears he was right about one thing, the voters of the 18th district do need new leaders and fresh faces.
Will Space condemn such action, ask Rangel to step down in the best interests of the American people and return the money that has lined his own coffers or turn a blind eye while Speaker Pelosi sweeps it all under the rug? Space has been asked just this by a letter sent to his office but no response has been reported.
