Seals associating with corruption

Dan Seals must immediately return all campaign contributions he has received from Congressman Charlie Rangel.

The New York Times reported last week that Rangel rents four apartments at significantly below market rates, saving himself over $30,000 a year. He achieves these savings by abusing a rent-control program intended to help needy families. And his landlord allows him to abuse the program because Rangel helps him get permits for new apartment buildings. This is a naked abuse of political influence and exactly the sort of thing voters are repulsed by.

Rangel has donated $14,000 to Seals' campaign so far. Seals should refuse the money.

Seals, like many other candidates this year, makes "change" a central pillar of his campaign. But you cannot support the politics of change on one hand while benefiting from the politics of corruption on the other. I hope Seals has the integrity to do the right thing rather than the profitable one and return the money.

Ben Steadman

Lake Bluff