Rep. Charles Rangel, awaiting the congressional equivalent of a trial on House ethics charges, appeared Wednesday at a rally at City Hall in New York in support of the planned mosque and Islamic community center near Ground Zero.

The Harlem Democrat had plenty to say on the fight over the planned mosque, and cheerfully trashed politicians who have weighed in on the matter.

“I do know that candidates – and I include myself – that are running for election or re-election are not rational people. I mean, we don’t want anything to interfere with our re-election. And if some pollster comes and says that, you know, five out of ten people are against this, then we take both sides, you know?’’ said Rangel, responding to a question about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s stated opposition to the mosque.

“So don’t ask what the politicians think, we get more than our share of publicity,’’ he said. Of all the places to have this, this is the last place that we would believe that we would not have tolerance of religion. Not in New York City. Not in my town.’’

Rangel faces a Sept. 14 primary against a crowded field that includes state Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, son of the man Rangel defeated in 1970 to capture the seat. That same week, members of the ethics committee will meet privately in Washington to plan for a trial of Rangel on 13 separate allegations of ethics violations. The public hearings in that case are likely to begin at the end of the month.

(Source: Wall Street Journal)