The Hill News

The House ethics committee's handling of Rep. Charles Rangel's ethics trial was fair, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said Wednesday. 

When asked by MSNBC what punishment is appropriate for Rangel (D-N.Y.) â€" a founding member of the CBC who was convicted of committing 11 violations of House ethics rules â€" Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) refused to say, but he expressed confidence the suggested sanction would be fair.

{mosads}"I leave that up to the committee, and I know they will do what is fair," Cummings said. 

The sentiments suggest some CBC members could vote in favor of punishing Rangel should serious penalties come to the House floor. 

The full ethics committee is scheduled to meet Thursday to recommend a punishment for the 80-year-old lawmaker who won another term two weeks ago. 

Rangel released a pugnacious statement Tuesday after hearing that the adjudicatory subcommittee found him guilty, saying he was robbed of his due process rights because the panel moved forward without him having legal representation. 

But Cummings said, "I think the system has worked. He has been given an opportunity to defend himself," adding Rangel was in fact "pleased" the prosecutor did not accuse him of corruption.

Ethics experts believe the committee will suggest a formal reprimand or censure for the former Ways and Means Committee chairman, not expulsion.

The former two punishments would require a majority vote in the House to take effect, the latter would take a two-thirds vote.

"We have some fair-minded people in that committee, and they made a judgment," Cummings said. "I think we'll have to live with that judgment whatever it might be."