Under Fire, Rangel Appears to Be Losing Grip of Committee

[Sgent]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — Caught in a swirl of ethics inquiries, Representative Charles B. Rangel, the dean of the New York Congressional delegation, appeared to be losing his grip on his powerful post as chairman of the tax-policy-writing Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday as Republicans planned to force a vote to remove him from his position.

The House ethics committee last week admonished Mr. Rangel, an ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for violating Congressional gift rules by accepting corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean in 2007 and 2008.

The ethics panel is still investigating more serious accusations regarding Mr. Rangel’s fund-raising, his failure to pay federal taxes on rental income from a villa he owns in the Dominican Republic and his use of four rent-stabilized apartments provided by a Manhattan real estate developer.

And with Republicans preparing to force a vote Wednesday seeking to oust Mr. Rangel from his chairmanship, support among his fellow Democrats appeared to be crumbling. He huddled in a meeting with senior party leaders, including Ms. Pelosi, and officials said Democrats were urging him to step down, at least temporarily.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/nyregion/03rangel.html?hp

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Get rid of his chairmanship now... I can't stand corruption in any form.

[stray cat]

1. I agree - corruption shouldn't be acceptable in dems or repubs

[Sherman A1]

3. Agreed

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. You don't know how reassuring it is to hear you all say that.

I'm counting on you all to do the right thing when the time comes.

[okieinpain]

5. agree

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Rangle needs to step down and go home

He's corrupt. 4 Manhattan apartments. 4. Just disgusting. Vile. And the fact that he sits there, and his 'peers' treat him with respect is doubly disgusting. On the take. Lapping up the gravy on the people's time, with the people's money. He should be in jail. 4 separate Manhattan jail sentence.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. He just had a quick presser...

Where he is taking a "leave of absence".

[asjr]

7. Why, in 2007 and 2008 were the

House Ethics committees not investigating all this? Why wait until now? I've read about this for years. Is this going to be the Year of Beating up on Democrats? There are no ethics in D.C. If everything is investigated there would be no time to govern. As far as taxes in the Dominican Republic I may be wrong but I don't think he has to pay taxes in the DR. Forgive me for being out of step but I am so disgusted with what passes for government these days I simply don't give a damn anymore.

[marshall]

10. Rangel is no dirtier than anybody else walking the halls of Congress

Why focus on him? On someone who has given almost half of his life to working for the people? If the axe falls on him it should fall on many many more as well.

[asjr]

11. More and more racism is rearing its ugly head.

[Jennicut]

12. He needs to go but so do many, many others. You have a good point there.

[Eugene]

8. AP: Rangel stepping down from tax-writing chairmanship

Rangel stepping down from tax-writing chairmanship

10 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Embattled Rep. Charles Rangel, facing an investigation by the House ethics committee, says he has decided to temporarily step down from his post as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Rangel made the announcement to reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday, saying he would not answer any questions. He said, "I hope you don't mind. I don't take questions."

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100303/ap_on_go_co/us_ethics_rangel

[Ed76638]

9. Dude has become cancerous.

But that's what happens when you've been in a position of power for so long.