Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., faces 13 counts of ethics violations.
Rep. Charlie Rangel is getting sympathy from some fellow Democrats but scant support from others as he faces trial on several ethics charges.
President Barack Obama says he hopes the 80-year-old lawmaker can end his career with dignity and some House Democrats want him to resign — now.
Obama, speaking on the issue for the first time, praised Rangel for serving his New York constituents over the years, but said he found the ethics charges "very troubling."
"He's somebody who's at the end of his career. I'm sure that what he wants is to be able to end his career with dignity. And my hope is that it happens," Obama said in an interview that aired Friday on "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric."
Even in Rangel's own state delegation, a base of staunch support, there was a crack. Democratic Rep. Michael Arcuri from central New York said Rangel "should think about stepping down because this situation is beginning to affect our ability to govern."
As House members headed home for the August recess, they wrestled with how to handle the ethics brouhaha three months before the midterm elections. Republicans already were eager to use Rangel's problems as a way to tar other Democrats on the issue of corruption.
Before Arcuri's statement Saturday, a half-dozen Democrats either conditionally or outright had called for Rangel to resign.
Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., said the allegations against Rangel brought by the House ethics committee show a consistent disregard for House rules and that he should step down.
"It is our job as members of Congress to hold each other accountable to a higher standard regardless of party," said Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz. "If the serious charges against (Rangel) are accurate, he needs to resign."
There was talk of Rangel's resignation as well from Democratic Reps. Walter Minnick of Idaho, Betty Sutton of Ohio, Zack Space of Ohio, and Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio.
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