WASHINGTON — Republicans on the House ethics committee accused Democrats on Tuesday of stalling the trials of Reps. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
Rangel and Waters, facing separate charges involving personal conflicts of interest, have maintained that they are not guilty of most of the allegations, and they have called for a speedy trial before subcommittees. Almost two months after filing formal charges against the lawmakers, the full ethics committee has not set a timeline for those trials.
The Republicans’ implication was that Democrats are delaying the trials for fear of political fallout before the midterm elections.
Aides to Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., the ethics chairman, did not respond to requests for comment.
But some Democratic aides said the GOP letter was itself politicizing the cases.
