Well, isn’t this comforting? With all of the promises of hope, change, and making Congress a more ethical place to be, the Democrats have Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) to deal with, as he is under fire for neglecting to tell the IRS that he was receiving rental income from his Caribbean villa. Normally, what would seem like an offense that would land someone with fines or possible jail time, Rangel has only “temporarily stepped aside” as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Of course, the House Ethics Committee found him in violation of these allegations, and there will definitely be a vote to remove him from that position.

Rangel’s problems have now left New York and traveled down to Virginia, as one of our own elected officials received money from his leadership PAC when first running for Congress. Of course, there is no mention on whether Rep. Gerry Connolly has returned the $7,000 contribution he received from Rangel or even if he would vote to remove him from the Ways and Means Committee Chairmanship. Connolly received this contribution on June 25, 2008. Perhaps, we should call Connolly and demand he return the contribution, as he is supposed to be part of the “most ethical Congress,” right?

Keith Fimian released this statement on Connolly’s refusal to give back or donate Rangel’s contributions to his campaign.

“Gerry Connolly should immediately return all funds he accepted from Rangel,” Fimian said. “As bad as it is that he is still holding onto to those tainted funds, it is even worse that Connolly voted to let Rangel off the hook for his ethical violations after having accepted campaign contributions from him in 2008. As the saying goes, money talks…and Gerry Connolly listens.”

“Aside from the campaign cash, Connolly’s vote to give Rangel a pass on his ethics violations should come as no surprise to anyone who remembers Connolly’s tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors,” Fimian said. “When it comes to ethical lapses, I have no doubt that Gerry Connolly can empathize with the situation Representative Rangel finds himself in.”