JUNKET FOR DEMOCRAT CORRUPTION CRUNCHERSJust two days after retaking the House and promising to end the "culture of corruption," Rep. Charles Rangel and a dozen other congressmen rubbed elbows with business leaders in sunny Panama.
Cuba was booked, too.
| Ditto Barbados. |
Gosh, go figure, huh?
While some members say they paid their own way, the conference had big-bucks corporate sponsors, including Pfizer, Citibank, AT&T, American Airlines and Time Warner.
The A-List with legislation before Congress. Boggle.
Rangel, who will chair the Ways and Means Committee and who has written Caribbean trade legislation [guaranteeing myself cover for these gigs... purdy clever, eh?], headed the delegation to the Caribbean Multinational Business Conference.
I, uh, hafta go, y'see.
"I never saw a pool, a beach or anything," Rangel told The Post. "Of course, I play a major role in it because I am a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee."
I'm gonna be the Chairman in January. Woohoo!
Rangel said there was no bad symbolism to the business conference, even though Democrats just knocked off Republicans caught in a corruption scandal that involved lobbyist-sponsored trips.
Just business, nothing personal...
Rangel says he paid his own way.
Heh, he certainly will now, I'd bet. Wouldn't it be fun to get the hotel records to see who paid what and when?
Rep. Ed Towns (D-Brooklyn) was among about 12 Congressional Black Caucus attendees.
Sure, those Panamanians are Persons of Color, right? Duty called - I hadta be there.
Rangel said the event had "nothing to do with Congress" and said there was "not a lobbyist in the group" - although he later added that Macy's and Verizon sent representatives.
Um, had nothing to do with Congress? So why were you there, exactly? Didn't you just say "Of course, I play a major role in it because I am a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee."??? Politics is soooo confusing.