GOP gets wish: Rangel case in campaign season

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans wanted an election-season ethics case against Democratic powerhouse Rep. Charles Rangel of New York. And now, it looks like they have one.

A House ethics panel of four Democrats and four Republicans, who will determine Rangel's guilt or innocence on 13 ethics charges, held its organizational meeting Thursday. The message going forward, from the top Republican on the panel, was: Let the trial begin.

Rangel was "given the opportunity to negotiate a settlement during the investigation phase," Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said. "We are now in the trial phase."

McCaul's strong comment was echoed by Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., who was on a separate ethics panel that conducted the two-year investigation of Rangel and brought the charges.

"Mr. Rangel was given multiple opportunities to settle this matter. Instead, he chose to move forward to the public trial phase," he said.

Republicans have already been making Rangel a campaign issue, and a fall trial would give them expanded opportunities. It can't start until September, because Congress takes off in August.

Soon after the charges were revealed, the National Republican Senatorial Committee warmed up its campaign message, issuing news releases in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Louisiana and Florida. The statements asked why Democratic Senate candidates in those states haven't yet returned money Rangel raised for them.

"I feel confident that this party and this president have a record on ethics reform and taking on the special interests that we're happy to put in front of the American people in November," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America."