WASHINGTON (AP) - New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel says
the House's overwhelming vote to censure him for financial misdeeds
was political.

A relieved and defiant Rangel told reporters that he is at peace
with himself and convinced that when history is written, people
will recognize that the 333-79 censure vote Thursday was in his
words "very, very very political."

The 20-term congressman insisted that he did not intend to
violate House rules.