Democratic powerbroker Charles Rangel’s name has long echoed through New York politics, but his story has taken a final turn. When the influential Harlem congressman died at 94, his passing instantly sparked debate about his complicated political legacy, touching on decades of activism, controversy, and reform.
According to Breitbart, Rangel died Monday at a New York hospital, his family confirmed, closing the book on a congressional career that spanned nearly half a century. He was one of the last political titans of his era and the final living member of Harlem’s storied “Gang of Four.”
Rangel’s rise from humble beginnings—surviving the Korean War and then unseating the legendary Adam Clayton Powell in 1970—was both dramatic and unlikely. He became a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and, in 2007, broke barriers as the first Black chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Yet, scandals and ethical missteps would ultimately break his hold on power.
Rangel’s career began in the trenches of Harlem activism, mixing a gravel-voiced charisma with relentless advocacy for his district’s poorest. He entered Congress in 1971 after defeating Powell, a political icon who had become mired in scandal. That win marked Rangel’s emergence as a force in New York Democratic politics and on Capitol Hill.
His service record shaped his worldview. Rangel was a high school dropout who earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star during the Korean War. Returning home, he leveraged the G.I. Bill for degrees at New York University and St. John’s Law School, translating battlefield grit into political ambition.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Rangel cemented his reputation by speaking out for his Harlem constituents, often championing tax incentives for businesses in blighted areas and authoring the “Rangel amendment,” which targeted U.S. companies investing in apartheid South Africa. Those early victories built his reputation as a fighter for civil rights and the “little guy.”
Rangel’s crowning achievement came after Democrats regained the House in 2006 when he was tapped to chair the Ways and Means Committee. The post gave him immense influence over federal tax policy, Social Security, and Medicare. But his tenure would be short-lived.
In 2010, a House ethics committee found Rangel guilty of 11 violations, including failing to pay taxes on a vacation villa and improperly soliciting donations from corporations with business before his committee. He was forced to step down as chairman and was censured by the full House—the most serious punishment short of expulsion.
The ethics scandal cast a shadow over his legacy, even as Rangel insisted he was “committed to fighting for the little guy.” Many critics claimed his downfall was the product of his own hubris and disregard for House rules, while defenders argued that Rangel’s work for Harlem and his longevity set him apart.
As news of Rangel’s death spread, reactions reflected the breadth of his impact. Allies emphasized his decades of advocacy and activism, while critics recalled his ethical lapses and bare-knuckle political style.
Rev. Al Sharpton, a longtime friend and ally, paid tribute to Rangel’s activism and shared history, saying: “Charlie was a true activist — we’ve marched together, been arrested together and painted crack houses together.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries captured the sentiment of many Democrats, calling Rangel “a patriot, hero, statesman, leader, trailblazer, change agent and champion for justice who made his beloved Harlem, the City of New York and the United States of America a better place for all.”
Yet not all remembered him as a hero. Rangel’s feuds, including a bitter exchange with then-Vice President Dick Cheney over the Iraq War, became legendary. Rangel once remarked that he hoped Cheney was “sick rather than just mean and evil,” to which Cheney retorted that Rangel was “losing it.” The sharp words reflected a career spent both making allies and sparring with opponents.
Rangel’s death marks the end of an era in Harlem and New York politics. As the last surviving member of the “Gang of Four”—which included former Mayor David Dinkins, Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton, and deputy mayor Basil Paterson—he helped shape the city’s political landscape for a generation.
His story was always larger than his scandals. Rangel’s voice was unmistakable, his humor equally so, and his commitment to Harlem unwavering despite personal and professional setbacks. Throughout his career, he worked to bring empowerment zones and low-income housing tax credits to his district, always claiming to measure each day against surviving the Korean War.
