Paterson adding to Rangel's woes, says rep.'s primary opponent

Rep. Charlie Rangel's (D-N.Y.) ethics problems are being compounded by the scandal surrounding Gov. David Paterson (D), according to the congressman's primary opponent.

"This isn't a question of guilt," Democrat Vincent Morgan told The Hill. "It's a question of, you're in a situation where even the specter of doing something wrong has become just numbing in New York." Morgan also said Rangel's ethics controversy is helping him build support.

Paterson is expected to announce Friday that he won't run in November because of reports he may have tampered with a witness in a domestic abuse case.

The House ethics committee admonished Rangel in a press release Thursday for improperly accepting reimbursement for trips to the Caribbean in 2007 and 2008 and has ordered him to repay the costs of the trip.

"It's a big distraction from what we really need to be talking about and that's issues that are important to the American people," said Morgan, a community banker. He added it's up to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) to decide if she wants to strip Rangel of his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Pelosi said Friday she will not remove Rangel.

According to the ethics committee's press release, "he did not violate the rules of the House," she said at a press conference. "I think that's the most important statement that they made."

She continued: "We'll see what happens next, what comes out of the ethics committee next. They said this press release will stand as the admonishment...obviously they have other issues to deal with but I thank them for [considering this matter.]"

In its release, the committee said Rangel "violated the House gift rule by accepting payment or reimbursement for travel" in 2007 and 2008 to conferences in the Caribbean.

Rangel's office declined to comment. But it released a statement saying: "Having now learned that the trip eimbursement was made erroneously, Congressman Rangel will of course refund the funds in question."

Morgan said the controversy surrounding Rangel has given a boost to his campaign.

“Yes, more people have been quietly supporting my candidacy,” Morgan said, adding that momentum has been building for some time. "People have been clamoring for a while that we just need a change and this ethics stuff has only reinforced a notion that Mr. Rangel has gotten further and further out of touch with the district and its priorities," he said.

Morgan noted that Rangel has spent four decades in office.

"Frankly, with all of his experience, how did he even put himself in that situation? He should have known better," he said. "It just shows a lack of judgment."

Still, Morgan said the controversy won't hand him a win in the Democratic primary. "I think that I will have to do the work," he said.

He has a steep hill to climb – Morgan had less than $25,000 cash on hand at the end of the year. Rangel had some $770,000, according to his campaign finance report.

Updated at 5:45 p.m.