Washington — Rep. Charles Rangel, the powerful New York congressman who used Congressional stationery to solicit donations to an academic center bearing his name, is asking his colleagues to investigate his actions, Congress Daily reports.

Mr. Rangel, a Democrat who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has been under fire since The Washington Post reported last week that the congressman had used official letterhead to seek donations to the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of the City University of New York.

Mr. Rangel has insisted he did nothing wrong and held a news conference last week to defend himself. On Wednesday he followed up with a letter to the House Ethics Committee.

“I’m asking for an inquiry as to whether my conduct violated any of the rules of ethics, not just for myself but those new members, that may be blurred,” the letter reads in part, according to Congress Daily. House rules require the ethics panel to conduct the requested investigation. —Kelly Field