HARRISBURG – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding Congressman Patrick Murphy’s decision to call for Congressman Charlie Rangel to step down from his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee at the same time Rangel announced he was temporarily stepping aside.

“I was pleased to see that Patrick Murphy took our advice and acknowledged Congressman Rangel’s ethical troubles and asked him to step aside.  Now it’s time for Patrick Murphy to step up and return the $19,000 in campaign donations he received from the disgraced New York Congressman.

“Despite his conveniently released statement, the longer Congressman Patrick Murphy keeps Charlie Rangel’s ‘dirty money,’ the longer he publicly condones his corrupt behavior.

“The people of Pennsylvania deserve leaders who don’t need to be told when to take an ethical stand.  I would call on Pennsylvania’s Democratic Congressional delegation, including Congressmen Joe Sestak, Paul Kanjorski, Kathy Dahlkemper, Jason Altmire, Chris Carney and Tim Holden, to immediately return the tens of thousands of campaign donations they have received from the now disgraced Congressman Charlie Rangel.”

According to the Federal Election Commission, Congressman Patrick Murphy received $19,000 in overall campaign contributions from Congressman Rangel and his Political Action Committees.(http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/H0PA11050)

In addition to his contributions to Congressman Patrick Murphy, Congressman Charlie Rangel as also provided $21,000 in financial support to the campaigns of Congressmen Jason Altmire, Chris Carney, and Paul Kanjorski, $19,000 to the campaign of Congressman Tim Holden, $14,000 to the campaign of Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper, and $12,000 to the campaign of CongressmanJoe Sestak.

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