Rangel says he ' s ready to fight ethics charges
Rep. Charles Rangel  who has spent half of his 80 years as a member of Congress  says he looks forward to fighting ethics charges. Other Democrats won't be so pleased.
 Rangel had a choice.
 His lawyer had been negotiating with the House ethics committee to settle his case. But to end it  Rangel would have had to accept the allegations. Rangel had been willing to accept some  but that didn't satisfy the committee  according to a person familiar with the talks but not authorized to be quoted by name.
 Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the action taken against Rangel "would indicate that the independent  bipartisan ethics committee process is moving forward."
 The last time a Rangel ethics case moved forward  the ethics committee concluded earlier this year that the lawmaker violated House rules on two trips to Caribbean conferences. The committee said Rangel should have known that corporate money paid for the trips.
 Rangel  still chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee at the time  initially said he wouldn't step down from his post. After a closed-door meeting with Pelosi while reporters waited outside  Rangel changed his mind. He stepped aside from a chairmanship he may never get back  because of concerns that staying in the position would hurt other Democrats.
 This time  he decided to fight on.
Rangel says he ' s ready to fight ethics charges
Rep. Charles Rangel  who has spent half of his 80 years as a member of Congress  says he looks forward to fighting ethics charges. Other Democrats won't be so pleased. Rangel had a choice. His lawyer had been negotiating with the House ethics committee to settle his case. But to end it  Rangel would have had to accept the allegations. Rangel had been willing to accept some  but that didn't satisfy the committee  according to a person familiar with the talks but not authorized to be quoted by name. Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the action taken against Rangel "would indicate that the independent  bipartisan ethics committee process is moving forward. "
 The last time a Rangel ethics case moved forward  the ethics committee concluded earlier this year that the lawmaker violated House rules on two trips to Caribbean conferences. The committee said Rangel should have known that corporate money paid for the trips. Rangel  still chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee at the time  initially said he wouldn't step down from his post. After a closed-door meeting with Pelosi while reporters waited outside  Rangel changed his mind. He stepped aside from a chairmanship he may never get back  because of concerns that staying in the position would hurt other Democrats. This time  he decided to fight on.