conflicting information. there may have been eight or nine people aboard. the faa says five people have died, four are injured. that would be nine people in total. but there are still some reports saying there are eight people. we do know that the air national guard is on the scene in alaska. we also want to talk to you about another story that tony was just telling you about, and that is democratic representative charlie rangel of new york speaking on the floor of the house of representatives. defending or explaining himself in the ethics charges that have been levied against him. this is him speaking live right now. let's listen in. >> there was appearances, though, of us i was being treated differently than anyone else. but the landlord said he didn't treat me any differently. no one said that they did treat me differently. but i have to admit that i wasn't sensitive to anything, because i never felt then that i was treated any differently than anybody else. and so that ends the apartment thing. but i plead guilty of not being sensitive. now when it comes to the -- the negligence of -- of the disclosures and the tax issues, there's absolutely no excuse that's there. when accusations were made, i hired a forensics accountant and told them to check out what the heck is going on, because i want to make certain that when i stand up and speak that it's true. well, after i found out, it was far more serious than the accusations, i then referred it to the ethics committee. it wasn't as though someone tracked me down, the irs, or the clerk of the house. i filed the correct papers. and the taxes that were paid, an accountant might say that had my accountant recognized that this 32,000 down payment for a house in the dominican republic that was promised to be paid off in seven years would be a complete failure, and if indeed they did not give me one nickel but whenever they thought they were making a dollar or two they reduced the mortgage, then there's no question you don't have to be a tax expert to know that if you didn't report that income, not with standing the fact that if you had done the right thing you would have no liability, because the taxes that were paid to the dominican republic would have been deducted with depreciation, i would have had no liability. having said that, is that an excuse that's worthy? of course not. and the fact that there was negligence on the part of the person that for 20 years did it, and the fact that i signed it, that's not really an excuse as to why i should not apologize to this body for not paying the attention to it that i should have paid to it. but there is no -- not one skin tilla bit of evidence that the negligence involved in the disclosures that there was some way to -- to hide from the public what i had. because the -- the value of the property, they would say was 25,000, 100,000, 200,000, or whatever. it would be that it didn't make any sense. that -- i was trying to disclose it. so why did i take the floor today? when -- i haven't found one lawyer that said i should do it. i haven't even found one friend that said i should do it. but i thought about it. of if the lawyers are going to continue to charge me, and i don't even know when the hearing is going to be, and i can't tell them that i want one and not six lawyers, i don't want to offend the ethics committee. they're doing the best they can. but, hey, i'm in a position -- >> members will -- and their staffs will please take their conversations from the floor. the gentleman may resume. >> that, hey, i'm 80 years old. all of my life has been from the beginning public service. that's all i've ever done. been in the army, been a state legislator, been a federal prosecutor, 40 years here. and all i'm saying is that if it is the judgment of people here, for whatever reason, that i resign, then, heck, have the ethics committee expedite this. of don't leave me swinging in the wind until november. if this is an emergency, and i think it is, to help our local and state governments out, what about me? i don't want anyone to feel embarrassed, awkward. hey, if i was you, i mightment me to go away, too. i'm not going away. i'm here. [ applause ] and i do recognize that -- [ applause ] i'm not saying there's any partisanship in this, because if i knew of all the people that have been accused of accusations, i'm in a close district, and i -- they were republicans, i -- give a couple of moments of thought to see whether or not, especially if i didn't have anything to work with to get re-elected, i would say, hey, take a look at these republicans. they've been accused. but i don't really think that the unfairness of this is to me -- i don't take it personally. i'm thinking about all of you. the president wants dignity, let's have dignity in this house where the ethics committee means something, and that none of you, if the newspapers say anything, will have to wait two years before you can say no comment. and in addition to that, once they make the accusations, they have no business making any mistakes in saying that i didn't cooperate. i got papers with my signature on. i got papers that said i tried my darn defendant. i got papers where my lawyer tells me she had every reason to believe that the full committee would sign on. there was space for people to sign. i'm the only one who signed. i don't know what changed their minds about settling this case. but my lawyer says don't offend them. my friends say don't go to the floor. and i say, what are you going to do me? yeah? suppose i do get emotional. of suppose i do think of my life, the beginning and the end. are you going to expel me from this body? are you going to say that while there is no evidence that i took a nickel, asked for a nickel, that there is no sworn testimony, no conflict, that i have to leave here? as much as i love you democrats that figure it would be easy for you, i'm the guy that was raising money in republican districts to get you here. but that doesn't mean that i criticize you for saying, hey, that's great then, but i'm running for re-election now. i mean, do what you have to do. and republicans, hey, you don't have much to run on, but -- you know, but what the hell? if rangel is an embarrassment, based on newspaper articles, i can see why you would do it. but think. think. isn't this historically the first time that it appears as though partisanship is -- the ethics committee? isn't historically the first time that the recommendations of the subcommittee of investigation is turned now? and don, who in the heck would want somebody who politically called you corrupt to be the ranking bipartisan guy to judge you? is now, i don't expect answers today, and i know you're going home, and i wish all of you well. but at the end of the day, somebody -- somebody has to do more than wish i go away. somebody has to tell me, when does rangel get a chance to talk to -- i haven't talked with any member of the ethics committee. i mean, in terms of settlement, my lawyers have. i haven't talked with any of the witnesses. and they had to expedite this case. in other words, i have a shorter time to prepare for reasons that they tell me, don't challenge the ethics committee. they make up this stuff as they go along. so my lawyer -- i can understand how financially this thing can go on longer than i can afford. but she is willing to assist me and work out something and pro bono, and i'll expect the leadership to help me. don't let this happen to you. don't walk away from here becausis convenient that i disappear. because not all of you will be able to withstand it as i have. if there is no issue of corruption, if everybody, including the lead over here, has to start off with what great american i am before he drops the bomb, well, i think that should count for something. and i am not asking for leniency. i'm asking for exposure of the facts. they've made a decision. i want you to make a decision. now, i apologize to the leadership. i feel for those people, especially the newcomers, that love this place so much that -- like someone said, charlie, they all love you. and i paused until they finished -- they love themselves better. i understand that. you know. but for god's sake, just don't believe that i don't have feelings, that i don't have pride. that -- that i do want the dignity that the president has said. and the dignity is that even if you see fit to cause me not to be able to come back, because you're not going to do it in my district, but if there is some recommendation that i be expelled, for me -- for me, that would be dignity. because it shows openly that this system isn't working for me. and i hope some of you might think, if it doesn't work for me, that it may not work for you. so i know we are anxious to get home. i know i can't get on the agenda. i know that sometime, somewhere, i would have a hearing. so while you are saying i should resign, i do hope that you might think about what happens if the whole country starts thinking, it's better that you resign and don't make anyone feel uncomfortable than to have the truth, at least a person, an opportunity, to say, you have made alleged violations. i am saying that you're wrong, based on sworn testimony. and i want somebody, and i don't think it's going to be people who have been critical of me for doing the same thing that's going to be the judge. and i know outside doesn't count, because we judged the conduct of our own members. adam powell knew that when they wouldn't let him be seated in the and the courts, of course, overruled it. but if i can't get my dignity back here, then fire your best shot in getting rid of me through expulsion. now, i apologize for any embarrassment that i've caused. i'm prepared to admit and try to let young people know that you never get too big to recognize that these rules are for junior members, as they are for senior members. and that you can't get so carried away with good intentions that you break the rules. because the rules are there to make certain that we have some order, some discipline and respect for the rules. and i violated that. and i'm apologizing for it. and i don't think apologies mean that this is a light matter. it's very serious. but corruption? is no evidence, no suggestion, that this was ever found. and lastly, i close by saying that there is an organization that some of you know -- certainly diedrich will see. national truth in government, whatever. and the only thing i can say that some of my more important democrats on the list sent out mail soliciting money in order to get rid of me, even before i became the chairman. and they have a website that i will be giving you, because they've got a lot of members, including black caucus members, on their list. and one i do remember, send your money in now. we've got rangel against the ropes. and we've got to get rid of him. everyone knows who they are. and they followed me on vacation. they followed me when i was doing business. at the airport, outside where i live. it's kind of rough. i'm sensitive to your feelings and the hard work by the ethics committee. but this has to stop sometime. it has to stop. one month, one year, two years. primaries, election. and all i'm saying is, i deserve and demand the right to be heard. and if i hurt anybody's feelings, believe me, it's the equity and the fairness and the justice that i'm asking for, and not your feelings. we are enticed to our political feelings and what we want done. but we have to respect each other, and this institution, which i love. i love my country, i love my congress. and there's nothing i wouldn't do to preserve this from going on. i love the disagreements. i love the debates, i love the arguments. but you're not going to tell me to resign to make you feel comfortable. so to all of those that tried to help me to help myself, let me appreciate it. of and for those who disagree, i'm sorry, but that's one thing you can't take away from me. so thank you for listening. i do hope that -- that you have a pleasant time while you're away. and maybe, just maybe, the members of the ethics committee might think about telling me when they think they might have a hearing so that whatever they decide, i can let my constituents -- my families, my friends, know that i did the best i could as an american, as a patriot, and someone that loves this country. thank you for your attention. go home. [ applause ] >> okay. you have just been listening to representative charles rangel on the floor of the house of representatives. this is a very interesting development. we're following another story, and i'll get to that in just a second, a plane crash in alaska, where we have reports that senator -- former senator from alaska, ted stevens is on that plane. a lot of coverage of that in a second. this is unusual. we went to the floor of the house of representatives, because we were not expecting congressman charlie rangel of new york to make the speech that you just heard. it's been going on for over 20 minutes right now. i want to go to brianna keilar at the capitol, because she was listening to it, as well. this was -- congress is back in session to deal with the $26 billion bill, brianna, to deal with medicaid and teachers -- shortfalls that states have. this was not something that was scheduled. it was not something that was planned. but for over 20 minutes, charlie rangel has delivered a speech about him, himself, who is he, what role did he play in some of these allegations that have been made against him, the charges that have been presented against him. of can you frame this story? >> yes, this was pretty surprisi surprising. and the overview here is that charles rangel is facing ethics issues. he has been charged by the house ethics committee, 13 counts, the most serious of violations -- alleged violations, have to do with how he raised money for a public policy center -- the city of new york called the wrongel center, and that basically he broke house rules. and so we weren't expecting this. this was very much a surprise, ali, and i've gotten some guidance from the house radio television gallery here saying that basically he was able to go on to the floor and basically say that he wanted to defend his reputation. and because of that, he -- because of house rules, you're able to do that. and so surprise, surprise, here he pops up on the floor. but what was really interesting was he was saying, i want this to play out quickly. i feel like this is being -- >> yeah, so let me ask you, if one isn't following this as much as i know you have been and we have been, if you just listened to charlie rangel talk there for the last 20 or 25 minutes, here's what you heard. you heard a guy saying i'm not getting my day in court, i can't afford my lawyers anymore. this is not a good idea, but i need to tell you who i am. everybody is dragging their heels. and no not coming forward. he said a few times, get on with it, if you to get rid of me, get on with it. it sounded sympathetic. you're telling me there is something else to this. >> well, there is something else to this, because he talked about before, look, i've cooperated, i have gotten a forensic accountant to go over my finances. the thing, ali, is you're not really going to hear the ethics committee hit back, because the proceedings that they go through are very confidential. but what we have seen in the report is they have basically pointed a finger at rangel himself, and said he has missed many deadlines. his lawyers have missed many deadlines to submit documents. in one breath, he says on television that he has a forensic accountant to pore over his finances. and then we don't get the actual data from that accountant six months later. so if you read the report, it kind of paints a picture of someone who has created a time line problem for himself. but what also struck me was he said, look, i know democrats -- this is annoying for you in an election year, because this isn't what you want to be dealing with as you go into some really tough races. but he kind of said too bad there, ali. that really struck me. >> very interesting. brianna, thanks very much. we'll check back in with you later. brianna keilar on capitol hill. other story we're following right now is that plane crash. a plane, a small plane, has crashed in southern alaska. believed to have on board former alaska senator, ted stevens. and the former nasa administrator. what we do know is that the plane has crashed. that there are five people dead. that there may have been eight or nine people aboard. of we don't know whether there are three or four survivors, a lot of conflicting information. we're going to try and bring you the latest right after this break. okay. i want to bring you up to speed if you have been following this plane crash in alaska. let me tell you what we know right now. first of all, a plane that is gone down in southern alaska. it's a plane -- we are unclear as to how many people were on board. there appear to have been nine people on board, some reports say eight people were on board. we understand five people have been killed. two are hurt. now, who do we think was on this plane? we think former alaska senator ted stevens, various sources have confirmed he was on the plane, although his family has not, even though we have spoken to a family spokesperson. but we believe former senator ted stevens was on board. former nasa administrator, sean o'keefe was on board. we know that, because he heads the north american division of eads. that is a british -- a european aerospace and defense company. they have confirmed that he was on board. of but we do not know their fate. we don't know whether sean o'keefe or ted stevens have survived. we know the faa is on scene, the air national guard is on scene, but it's a particularly rugged part of the state, and it has -- and there are some weather issues there. let's find out more about the situation on the ground. let's go right to anchorage news anchor and reporter matthew felling of our affiliate ktva joins us now by phone from anchorage, alaska. matthew, what do you know? >> we know everything you did confirm. and we're getting a lot of reports, a lot of reports from different quarters of the state. a lot of mourning has already taken place from people who didn't want to step forward and confirm what may be on the horizon with records to senator stevens. and he was out -- he was flying 350 miles away. alaska is a vast, vast state. he was flying to a destination called dillingham, which is out towards the western coast of alaska for a fishing trip with a bunch of his friends. you want to get your fishing in, in alaska in august, because while you guys are dealing with hurricanes -- you deal with hurricane season on the east coast, here it actually is the very inessential of fall. and a lot of people are getting their last catches of the year. and it's a routine for most of alaskans to try to get out during this time of year, even though you do have to fight some serious rain, some serious cloudiness. and that's what we're dealing with. the national guard and everybody and all the rescue teams are dealing with 100-foot ceilings when it comes to getting in, getting out, trying to get help to the plane crash. and as of right now, that's what we're dealing with. we're hearing a lot of information. i do know that senator murcowski has completely cut short her campaign. she is a battle against an up and comer, joe miller, in the primary race. she has cut her campaigning short, coming back down to anchorage from fairbanks, and everybody is circling the wagons. everybody is heading here. i understand the medical teams in dillingham are bringing everything they can back to anchorage, because it is the city -- the state's largest city. and we're going to take it from there. and i justify got off the air a