Charlie Rangel And Other Great Moments In Congressional Shaming

Charlie Rangel may soon become the 23rd member of Congress to be censured for his various ethical indiscretions.

But remember Rangel is hardly the first, or the worst, offender -- some were actually reprimanded for violent crimes. Here's a list of the other 22 representatives who have been censured.

• In 1832, National Republican William Stanbery was censured for insulting the Speaker of the House.
• In 1842, Whig Party member Joshua Giddings Introduced anti-slavery resolution deemed to be incendiary.

• In 1856, Democrat Laurence Keitt was censured for assisting in the assault of Sen. Charles Sumner.
• In 1864, Democrats Benjamin Harris and Alexander Long were censured for making statements supporting the Confederacy.
• In 1866, Democrat John Chanler was censured for Insulting the House with a resolution containing unparliamentary language.
• Also in 1866, Lovell Rousseau was censured for assaulting Rep. Josiah Grinnell.

• In 1867, Democrat John Hunter was censured for unparliamentary language, as was Democrat Fernando Wood in 1868 and Democrat Edward Holbrook in 1869.
• In 1870, Republicans Benjamin Whittemore, John Deweese and Roderick Butler were censured for selling military academy appointments.
• In 1873, Republican Oakes Ames and Democrat James Brooks were censured for their involvement in the Crédit Mobilier of America scandal .
• In 1875, Democrat John Brown was censured for unparliamentary language, as was Democrat William Bynum in 1890 and Democrat Thomas Blanton in 1921.
• In 1979, Democrat Charles Diggs was censured for mail and payroll fraud.
• In 1980, Democrat Charles Wilson was censured for improper use of campaign funds.
• In 1983, Democrat Gerry Studds was censured for sexual misconduct with a House page.
• Also in 1983, Republican Daniel Crane was censured for sexual misconduct with his House page.

For more New York coverage, visit Huffington Post New York.

Comments

[bar1ed]

01:25 PM on 11/20/2010

The only thing that has come out of all of this is that Mr. Rangel can not be trusted. Why he is still in a position of trust is a disgrace. We have all accepted a washed down version of honor. A con-man at best.

[jasev01]

12:18 PM on 11/20/2010

unparliamentary language.... really that can happen...

[WarEagle2010]

09:35 AM on 11/20/2010

The common thread is most are DemocRATS. How unsurprising.

[patman77]

01:20 PM on 11/20/2010

actually dixie crats southern whites that supported slavery and then became rethugs after voting against civil rights and moderate and liberal repubs switched to dem party at that time. its history if your interested in facts instead of bs.

[afgail]

07:05 AM on 11/20/2010

Rangel's big mistake was getting caught while being Black and Democratic.

[Shukr]

03:47 AM on 11/20/2010

More Dems than Repubs...

[michelesda]

10:51 PM on 11/19/2010

The 1856 Democrat Laurence Keitt case was one of the more colorful. It was the one where Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner, having spoken derogatorially about South Carolina Senator Andrew Butler, a slavery supporter, was attacked on the Senate floor by South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks, a relative of Butler's, and beaten with a gutta percha cane. It was Keitt who held the rest of the house off with a pistol while Brooks finished the job.

[polishlogician]

10:26 PM on 11/19/2010

So what is unparliamentary language?

On May 14, 1866, Rep. John Chanler offered a resolution defending President Andrew Johnson's veto of Reconstruction enactments, which he called "the wicked and revolutionary acts of a few malignant and mischievous men."

On motion of Rep. Robert C. Schenck, he was censured for insulting the House of Representatives.

Background:

Pres. Andrew Johnson approved of "Black Codes" that gave the freedmen second class status post-Civil War. Senator Lyman Trumbull of Illinois, leader of the moderate Republicans, took affront at the Black Codes. Trumbull proposed the first Civil Rights bill.

Although strongly urged by moderates in Congress to sign the Civil Rights bill, Johnson vetoed it. Johnson, in a letter to Gov. Thomas C. Fletcher of Missouri, wrote, "This is a country for white men, and by God, as long as I am President, it shall be a government for white men."

Congress overrode his veto and the Civil Rights measure ending the Black Codes became law; the 14th Amendment soon followed.

[HighDesertBob]

06:11 PM on 11/19/2010

Unparliamentary language? Perhaps they told someone to go whiz up a rope or something like that?

[DinkSinger]

04:24 PM on 11/19/2010

The name left out of the 1983 entry is Dan Crane.

[Eric10931]

04:07 PM on 11/19/2010

Had to search high and low to find an article on Rangel at the huffington post.

If this was a rebublican there would have been a front page story with 2000+ comments.

WAY TO UNDER REPORT THE TRUTH HUFFINGTON!

[Montcalms Revenge]

01:34 PM on 11/19/2010

Censure: There's nothing quite like being called a crook by a bunch of other crooks.... ;-P

[LonosCurse]

01:28 PM on 11/19/2010

In 1867, Democrat John Hunter was censured for unparliamentary language, as was Democrat Fernando Wood in 1868 and Democrat Edward Holbrook in 1869.

In 2010, Rep. Joe Wilson interrupted a Joint Seesion of Congress to call the President of the United States a liar.

[LonosCurse]

01:27 PM on 11/19/2010

In 1864, Democrats Benjamin Harris and Alexander Long were censured for making statements supporting the Confederacy.

In 2009, Texas Governor Rick Perry spoke of secession.

[LonosCurse]

01:25 PM on 11/19/2010

In 1832, National Republican William Stanbery was censured for insulting the Speaker of the House.

In 2010, insulting the Speaker of the House was a Republican campaign strategy.

[tmdpny]

01:16 PM on 11/19/2010

Aren't you missing one?

1990 Sen. David Durenberger Republican Minnesota
Censured for unethical conduct including acceptance of prohibited gifts, converting campaign contributions to personal use, illegal use of a condominium, and the structuring of a real estate deal.

[DinkSinger]

04:17 PM on 11/19/2010

The article lists censures by the House. There have been a total of nine censures in the Senate. The best known may be Joe McCarthy who was censured in 1954 for failure to cooperate with the committees investigating him.