Crime and Punishment

News Alert

from The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. House voted to censure Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel, who was found to have broken 11 different ethics rules.

The 80-year-old Harlem Democrat was found to have misused congressional perks, failed to pay taxes on some income for 17 years, failed to report assets properly for a decade, and misused a rent-stabilized apartment as a campaign office.

Rep. Rangel will be required to stand on the House floor as the Speaker of the House condemns his behavior in front of his fellow lawmakers.

Immediately following the horrible censure proceedings,  Mr. Rangel will be whipped severely across the back of his hand with a wet noodle (no fewer than three lashes).  

Is it really just ethics rules violations that Mr. Rangel is guilty of?  I thought tax fraud was an actual crime.  Oh, maybe that's just for people not in the government.