WASHINGTON - Retiring Rep. Charles Rangel is leaving Washington in a few months, but he says while he's there, he'll do all he can to keep Donald Trump out of the White House.
During an event in Washington commemorating his lifetime achievements, Rangel said he would try anything to stop Trump and "save the republic."
Rangel says that Trump's false claims about President Barack Obama's birthplace were just shallow attempts to undermine Obama's credibility.
"Trump knew what he was doing when he started this," Rangel said. "He knew the president was an American citizen, but he wanted to appeal to those people who hated to believe that we had a black president. And even today, he is perpetuating that."
Rangel has served in the House for more than 45 years.
State Senator Adriano Espaillat is expected to succeed him.