Dem Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick: Rangel Should Resign

By: Lauren Seifert
Topics: In The News ,; Congress

Embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) made it clear to his fellow Democrats he understands if they won't support him in the face of his Ethics Committee trial and release of the charges against him, expected Thursday afternoon.

Some Democrats have already called for Rangel's resignation and Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.) told CBS News Chief Legal Correspondent Jan Crawford on Thursday's Washington Unplugged that Rangel should step down.

Kirkpatrick told Crawford, "I've called on him to resign his seat. I think as members of Congress we have duty to hold each other to a high standard. I'm not happy with what's been discovered by the Ethics Committee and I think he should step down."

Kirkpatrick also weighed in on Wednesday's decision by a federal judge before Arizona's controversial immigration law went into effect, eliminating elements including officers checking a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.

Kirkpatrick, who is against the ruling, told Crawford, "This is a distraction. We need to secure the border. We can't take our focus off of that important issue... We've got to know who's coming and going from our country. The lawsuit is going to continue, the legal wrangling, for years. In the meantime, taxpayers are funding both sides of the issue."

Watch Thursday's Washington Unplugged above also featuring a roundtable on the debate with CBSNews.com's Brian Montopoli and Washington litigator Jonathan Brenner.

"Washington Unplugged," CBSNews.com's exclusive daily politics Webshow, appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 2:00 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.

Lauren Seifert
Lauren Seifert is an associate producer for CBSNews.com.
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by hopetrumps July 31, 2010 4:10 PM EDT: Of course, Rangel won't resign---he's just another politician more interested in his own skin (and especially his own finances), than going into retirement with any sense of dignity. It's ashame that the Democrats and Obama will probably have to go down to defeat because of the likes of Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters---two political hacks with big mouths and apparently with pretty deep pockets filled with taxpayer money. I'm sure the Republicans are praying they put up a fight to defend the indefensible.; Reply to this comment