Rep. Charles Rangel isn’t letting a federal judge have the final word in his recently dismissed lawsuit against the House over a humiliating 2010 censure vote.
A month after U.S. District Judge John Bates tossed the longtime New York Democrat’s complaint, his private attorney, Jay Goldberg, filed an appeal, according to court records Tuesday.
The House censured Mr. Rangel in 2010 for failure to disclose rental income on a vacation house and breaking House rules that ban members from taking gifts.
He sued to overturn the censure, claiming he wasn’t given due process. In another court filing, his lawyer accused House members of “complete arrogance.”
In October, Mr. Rangel offered to settle the case. But House lawyers balked, saying they there was no reason to settle with the lawmaker.
Ultimately, Judge Bates tossed the case saying the court couldn’t order the House to lift the censure.
“Rangel’s quarrel is with the House, and it must stay there; he may not under these circumstances enlist the court’s involvement in that quarrel,” Bates wrote.
Mr. Goldberg filed the notice of appeal to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday.
• Jim McElhatton can be reached at jmcelhatton@washingtontimes.com.
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