Blake Chisam, the lawyer who is serving as prosecutor for Mr. Rangel’s disciplinary proceedings, told the panel that the senior New York Democrat’s conduct “demonstrated a lack of attention and carelessness over a broad range of issues over a lengthy period of time” and that the punishment of censure was appropriate.
Mr. Rangel had been expected to face either a censure or a reprimand. Both involve a vote on the House floor condemning the lawmaker’s conduct, but censure is the more severe punishment. In Mr. Rangel’s case, the difference is entirely symbolic: Censure includes a ban from serving as the ranking party member on a committee, but Mr. Rangel effectively relinquished that in March when he was forced to give up his chairmanship of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.