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But even as the proceedings got under way, no one seemed to know whether Rangel and the committee investigating him had reached a deal on the charges.
Texas Rep. Michael McCaul seemed to put the swirling reports of a deal to rest as the House investigative committee convened a hearing into Rangel's alleged transgressions, The Washington Post reported.
"Mr. Rangel ... was given opportunities to negotiate a settlement under the investigation phase," McCaul said. "We are now in the trial phase."
But The Wall Street Journal, which first reported today that Rangel and his inquisitors had reached a settlement deal, continued to maintain that assertion though most of the day, even after the formal charges had been laid out and the trial apparently got under way.
"The settlement proposal is preliminary and could still be rejected by the 10-member committee," the Journal reported.
But later in the day, the paper's take on the matter shifted to a more negative view, stating that "last-minute talks to settle the case remained unresolved."
The blogosphere seemed to take a wait-and-see stance on the news of the Rangel deal.
"Now that the charges have officially been announced, does a trial have to happen?" Josh Marshall wrote at Talking Points Memo. "Or can Rangel see the light tomorrow and (presumably at a higher price) plead out and end the whole thing?"
"Can [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi convince Rangel to retire before the hearing starts?" Ed Morrissey mused at Hot Air. "We'll soon see -- and if not, we'll soon see the hearing."
Until then, Rangel's alleged dirty laundry is already being aired far and wide. Check it out for yourself in the "Statement of Alleged Violation" issued today by the House Ethics Committee.
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