The House ethics panel charged with conducting the inquiry and trial against Rep. Charlie Rangel (D., N.Y.) has recommended Rangel be “reprimanded” for 13 alleged ethics violations:

Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), chairman of the ethics investigative subcommittee that announced the charges, told reporters Friday that his panel concluded Rangel should be reprimanded. 

“The recommendation that we had was that he be reprimanded,” Green said.

Such a punishment might be seen as a slap on the wrist to some. The subpanel could have recommended that Rangel be censured, or that he be expelled from the House.

There was no recommendation for punishment listed in the lengthy report issued by Green’s panel on Thursday.

Green also suggested Rangel was not as close to reaching a settlement as had been suggested.

“There were lots of rumors, but there were no offers [among members] over the last two weeks,” he said.

A deal would have avoided the public trial, likely to begin in mid-September, that Rangel now faces.

More at The Hill.