The Hill News

Censured Rep. Charles Rangel is not in the clear yet when it comes to his ethics problems: he faces a Federal Election Commission (FEC) probe into alleged misuse of campaign funds for his legal defense. 

The FEC, according to the New York Post, has taken up a complaint filed by the right-leaning National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) that Rangel (D-N.Y.) used funds from his National Leadership PAC to pay for legal counsel for his House ethics case that ended in his censure last week.

{mosads}To avoid paying for legal services out of their own pocket, lawmakers are only permitted to use money from their individual campaign accounts or legal defense funds.

The 20-term lawmaker, who was once the ! chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, on Sunday called his censure "embarrassing" and "painful" in his first television interview since he was dealt the punishment.

Rangel's trial went ahead last month without the congressman having legal representation. His attorneys at the firm Zuckerman Spaeder dropped him as a client in October and he later told the ethics committee he could no longer afford their services after sinking $2 million into his defense. 

A spokesperson for Rangel noted that the attorney for his National Leadership PAC "has authorized the use of its funds for its legal expenses" and noted that the NLPC is not an unbiased organization," accusing it of making "inaccurate allegations."

"As you know, a complaint can be filed by any entity and it should not be taken as the gospel," Rangel press secretary Hannah Kim said.

Rangel was sanctioned for committing 11 violations of House ethics rules for improperly using his office to solicit donations for an educational center in his name and filing incorrect financial disclosures and tax forms that failed to list income earned on his Dominican villa. The 80-year-old was also ordered to pay back taxes to the governmen! t.

-- This post was updated at 10:43 a.m.