By Simone Sebastian
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HARLEM — Embattled Congressman Charlie Rangel called the ongoing ethics probe against him "a very traumatic experience" during his latest public appearance in Harlem Monday morning.
Rangel faces the public airing of his ethics charges on Thursday, when a house committee is scheduled to detail his alleged wrongdoings.
The Harlem politician appeared at the State Office on 125th Street this morning to recognize recipients of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation scholarships.
"This is a very traumatic experience for me, and for my family and for my consitutents," Rangel told reporters. "It's like a boil that's been building up for close to two years and it's going to burst on Thursay."
Rangel has put a positive spin on the charges and his upcoming hearing, saying it gives him an opportunity to fight the claims before his upcoming reelection bid this fall.
He said he is confident that his campaign will be successful.
"It may not be pleasant but it's going to give me a sense of relief," Rangel said of the ethics hearing. "I can only hope that all the facts come out before my primary or my general election."
Harlem consituents have remained largely supportive of their longtime representative. But according to reports, some Democrats are pressuring Rangel to strike a deal with the ethics committee to avoid a trial that could damage the party during campaign season.
If found to have violated ethics rules, Rangel could face punishments from a minor rebuke, to a strong public censure to removal from office, said Meredith McGehee, policy director for The Campaign Legal Center in Washington D.C.
It's unlikely that Rangel would be ousted if he is found to have committed the ethical violations, McGehee said. But there could be severe punishment.
Rangel stepped down as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this year. And if the trial doesn't go his way, he might not get the position back, McGehee said.
"The real levers here are with the power. The power is with the Ways and Means Committee," McGehee said.
