In the wake of ethical allegations surrounding Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said the controversy will not hurt the Democrats in November’s midterm elections.
Hoyer suggested the upcoming midterms are too big to be bogged down by ethical accusations against one senior Democratic member of the House.
Hoyer cited the midterms four years ago as a referendum on President George W. Bush’s policies, which led to a changing of the guard in Congress. “The American public rejected economic policy and international policy that they believed were not working [in 2006], so it was much broader than simply the ethical lapses that were raised,” Hoyer said. In 2006, Republican Rep. Mark Foley of Florida resigned abruptly following allegations of sexual misconduct. Democrats went on to win control of both the House and Senate that year.
“The American people don’t believe [that Bush's polices were good], I don’t believe that, and we’re prepared to fight on moving forward or going back to the Bush administration’s policies,” Hoyer said. “The Republicans believe that [those policies] were good for the country. That is really what America is going to vote on. That’s the difference between the two parties.”
via Charlie Rangel Controversy Won’t Hurt Democrats in Midterms, Hoyer says.
