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.