By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Larry Margasak, Associated Press – 1 min ago
WASHINGTON – Rep. Charles Rangel, once one of the most influential House members, was convicted Tuesday on 11 counts of breaking ethics rules and now faces punishment.

An ethics panel of eight House peers deliberated over two days before delivering a jarring blow to the 20-term New York Democrat's career. The 80-year-old Rangel was charged with 13 counts of financial and fundraising misconduct.

Only last spring, Rangel held the exalted post of Ways and Means chairman, a position that made him the House's main writer of tax legislation. The Harlem congressman was not present when the verdict was announced.

The full ethics committee will now conduct a hearing on the appropriate punishment for Rangel, the silver-haired, gravelly-voiced and sartorially flashy veteran of 20 terms in the House.

The next step for the committee is to make a recommendation on punishment to the House.

Possible sanctions include a House vote deploring Rangel's conduct, a fine and denial of privileges.

The congressional panel, sitting as a jury, found that Rangel had used House stationery and staff to solicit money for a New York college center named after him. It also concluded he solicited donors for the center with interests before the Ways and Means Committee, leaving the impression the money could influence official actions.

He also was found guilty of failing to disclose at least $600,000 in assets and income in a series of inaccurate reports to Congress; using a rent-subsidized New York apartment for a campaign office, when it was designated for residential use; and failure to report to the IRS rental income from a housing unit in a Dominican Republic resort.

Re-elect him. He has served us so well in the past. He has so much more important work to do for us in DC.

Has Obama sold his job yet..?? 😕

RANGEL IS A HERO !!!

Like Marion Barry this just gives him street cred with his peeps...Uhhh I mean constituents

Poor Charlie,,,

Yeah he's a corrupt politician but I like his style...

Yet another mean-spirited witch hunt by the vast right-wing conspiracy.

Now we won't have anyone on CSPAN that sounds like the love child of Stevie Nicks and a Goat.

Poor Chucky.

I agree he needs to go. All things considered though, he's a tough, smart, 89-year old man- with style.

He's only 80 and he's no Count Basie

He better learn to Sing Sing Soon though

He is lookin for a lawyer on consingment !

Intrested ?

he is the poster child for ........ TERM LIMITS !!

And for a recall of the stocks and maybe even tar and feathering!

Being totally and utterly corrupt and hypocritical isn't exactly what I'd call "style."

The guy is always nicely dressed and well groomed. While my taste differs widely from his, I call that... style!

That's called "Putting a ribbon on a pig".

You can dress up ANYONE into fine clothes. Give them a manicure, haircut and a shave. Teach them manners and how to walk and you'd call that "style"?

No, this man is a theif. He's a carpetbagger. He's a corrupt individual that should've been shown the door a long time ago. He's nothing to emulate or even pretend he's something worth copying. He's a charlatan.