Charlie Rangel

Sean McCaffrey, executive director of the Arizona Republican Party, is hard pressed to explain why the ethics controversies of U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) haven't been a factor in the campaigns of Arizona Democrats who have received contributions from him.

"I honestly don't know" why not, McCaffrey told PolitickerAZ.com.

The New York City congressman has been embarrassed by numerous revelations about his activities in the past months, from using a rent controlled luxury apartment as a campaign office, to directing congressional funds toward a project bearing his name. Most recently it came to light that Rangel failed to report income from rental properties he owns in the Dominican Republic.

Now an ethics investigation into Rangel's finances is underway, and national and Arizona Republicans have been trying to pressure 3rd Congressional District Democratic congressional candidate Bob Lord and U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Tucson) into returning campaign contributions Rangel's fundraising committee gave them.

So far, the effort has been in vain, and the connection between the embattled Rangel and Arizona Democrats has not sparked public controversy.

The continuing allegations of ethics violations against U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) may have consequences for Democratic politicians across the country, including in Arizona. Today, in their third such attack, the National Republican Congressional Committee is calling on 1st Congressional District candidate Ann Kirkpatrick to return campaign contributions she received from Rangel. The NRCC had previously called for U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Tucson) to do the same.

“Ann Kirkpatrick is not a voice for change, she is status-quo politician willing to get elected to Congress any way she can,” said NRCC Spokesman Ken Spain in a press release. “If Kirkpatrick wants to separate herself from a corrupt politician and an unpopular Democrat Majority in Congress, she will return the campaign checks she took from Rep. Charlie Rangel.”