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3/2/2010

Shea-Porter Dumps Rangel Money, Time For Hodes, Shaheen, And Swett To Do The Same

CONCORD – Representative Carol Shea-Porter finally announced this morning that she will return her donations from disgraced Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) (NHPoliticalReport, 3/2). Representative Shea-Porter becomes the first New Hampshire Democrat to agree to return Rangel donations after the New Hampshire Republican State Committee demanded that they return the tainted money last week. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Congressman Paul Hodes and congressional candidate Katrina Swett have thus far refused to return their Rangel contributions.
 
“Jeanne Shaheen, Paul Hodes and Katrina Swett have absolutely no excuse for refusing to return Congressman Rangel’s tainted donations,” said NHGOP Communications Director Ryan Williams. “They must follow the example set by other Congressional Democrats and return Charlie Rangel’s dirty money immediately.”
 
Other Congressional Democrats have already committed to dumping Rangel’s donations. Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA) announced this weekend that she will donate the $7,000 in contributions she received from Congressman Rangel to charity (Boston Herald, 2/28). Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) also pledged to donate his Rangel contributions to charity (Stamford Advocate, 2/27). 
 
“Any attempt by Jeanne Shaheen, Paul Hodes or Katrina Swett to refuse to part with Mr. Rangel’s dirty money will serve as an implicit endorsement of his unethical behavior,” said Williams.
 
Rangel has made the following tainted donations to New Hampshire Democrats:
 
Senator Jeanne Shaheen: Received $10,000 in tainted donations from Rangel’s PAC during the 2008 election cycle. (OpenSecrets.org)
 
Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter: Received $10,000 in tainted donations from Rangel during the 2008 election cycle. (OpenSecrets.org)
 
Congressman Paul Hodes: Received at least a total of $17,000 in tainted donations from Rangel. $11,000 since 2004 from Rangel’s PAC and at least another $6,000 from his campaign committee. (OpenSecrets.org)
 
Congressional Candidate Katrina Swett: Received $10,000 in tainted donations from Rangel’s PAC during the 2002 election cycle.