- 12/05/10 09:33 AM ET
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) said in his first TV interview since his censure by the House last week that the experience was "embarrassing and painful," but maintained he was innocent of corruption.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" to host Candy Crowley, the 40-year congressman repeated the stance he maintained last week, that he was guilty only of sloppy recordkeeping and "overzealousness."
"It was an embarrassing and painful experience, but somehow I was pleased to know that no matter how much pain I was feeling, it really didn't compare to tens of thousands of brave men and women who find themselves in harm's way," Rangel said. "If I was overzealous in trying to raise money to try to get kids an education, I've got to respect that.
"As it relates to my financial records, nowhere in [the charges] is there any way that I tried to deceive anybody and there was no intent to do it. The bottom line is, it's rough. I broke the laws and there are serious rules set up to protect members and protect the House. But the whole idea of corruption has been just laid to rest. ... And I was thinking of all those things when I was in the well."
Asked if there was "a racial element" in his prosecution, Rangel wouldn't directly answer.
"That's the last thing in the world that I would want to discuss because God has been very good to me." he said. "From being a high school dropout to be able to go back to school on the G.I. Bill and to be able to serve the state legislature, be a federal prosecutor and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, I'd be hard-put to start complaining now."
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" to host Candy Crowley, the 40-year congressman repeated the stance he maintained last week, that he was guilty only of sloppy recordkeeping and "overzealousness."
"It was an embarrassing and painful experience, but somehow I was pleased to know that no matter how much pain I was feeling, it really didn't compare to tens of thousands of brave men and women who find themselves in harm's way," Rangel said. "If I was overzealous in trying to raise money to try to get kids an education, I've got to respect that.
"As it relates to my financial records, nowhere in [the charges] is there any way that I tried to deceive anybody and there was no intent to do it. The bottom line is, it's rough. I broke the laws and there are serious rules set up to protect members and protect the House. But the whole idea of corruption has been just laid to rest. ... And I was thinking of all those things when I was in the well."
Asked if there was "a racial element" in his prosecution, Rangel wouldn't directly answer.
"That's the last thing in the world that I would want to discuss because God has been very good to me." he said. "From being a high school dropout to be able to go back to school on the G.I. Bill and to be able to serve the state legislature, be a federal prosecutor and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, I'd be hard-put to start complaining now."
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