The legal defense fund of Rep. Charlie Rangel (D., N.Y.) paid out $72,000 in legal fees to his lawyer during the first quarter of 2013.
The fund is not required to disclose its obligations, so it is unclear what the payment is for, Roll Call reports. The legal fund took in nearly $60,000 during the period, including $5,000 from BET founder Robert L. Johnson, according to Roll Call:
The Charles B. Rangel Legal Expense Trust reported it raised $58,750 from individuals and corporations. This included $5,000 from BET founder Robert L. Johnson (founder & chairman, RLJ Companies, CT); $5,000 from Don King Productions Inc. (FL); $5,000 from former New Jersey Rep. Frank J. Guarini (attorney, Guarini & Guarini, NJ); $5,000 from Bernard L. Schwartz (chairman & CEO, BLS Investments, NY); $1,000 from long time New York political leader Basil A. Patterson (lawyer, NY); $5,000 from Full Spectrum of NY, LLC (NY); $5,000 from Dennis Mehiel (former chairman of U.S. Corrugated Inc.,Valhalla, NY); $5,000 from Belhio Associates Realty Corp. (Valhalla, NY); $2,500 from music executive Clarence Avant (CA); $1,000 from Daniel Rose (owner of Rose Associates, NY); among others.
The Trust also received on March 6th, $5,000 each from hospital owner Richard Machado Gonzalez (Bayamon, Puerto Rico), Norma Machado-Ortiz (Dorado, Puerto Rico), and Luis G. Machado-Ortiz (Dorado, Puerto Rico).
The 82-year-old congressman was found guilty of violating 11 House ethics rules in 2010. Last year, he agreed to pay a $23,000 civil fine to the Federal Elections Commission for using a rent-controlled apartment as a campaign office.