GOP handed gift in Rangel ethics case

Associated Press ^ | December 10, 2008 | Larry Margasak

[Zakeet]

House Republicans were heading toward a down-in-the-dumps holiday. Then the House ethics committee handed them a gift.

The committee's investigation of Rep. Charles Rangel's tax problems is expanding, turning what has been a minor headache for Democratic leaders into a New Year's migraine.

The last thing Democrats need is an ethics cloud hovering over 20-term House veteran who, as House Ways and Means Committee chairman, will play a critical role in advancing President-elect Barack Obama's goals of an economic recovery plan, middle-class tax relief and expanded health insurance.

It was only last month that the top House Democrat, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said she expected a report with the ethics panel's findings by Jan. 3.

She was trying to make the problem go away quickly. If Rangel were exonerated right after the new year, Democrats could leave the New York Democrat in place and move on. If he violated standards of conduct, the party could dump him as chairman before the new congressional session got going.

But if the investigation lingers, Pelosi and her leadership team can only wait — and listen to Republican calls for Rangel to step down.

It didn't help that, seven hours before the expanded investigation was announced Tuesday, Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on charges he conspired to sell or trade the Senate seat left vacant by Obama.

[Zakeet]

The expanded probe will examine whether Rangel helped preserve a lucrative tax break that benefited an oil-drilling company last year, while its chief executive was pledging $1 million to a college center named in the congressman's honor.

The ethics committee also is looking at Rangel's use of congressional stationery to ask foundations to support the school project; using four rent-stabilized apartments in a Harlem apartment building; and not reporting or paying taxes on $75,000 in rental income from his villa in the Dominican Republic.

[BallyBill]

The MSM only seems annoyed that the GOP isn't involved with the scandal, NOT that the DEMS are corrupt.

[ryan71]

Hey Nancy, made any head way on that “culture of corruption” thing?

I see you did do something about lowing gas prices, though. Thanks.

[randog]

Give it time. It’s always the GOP’s fault.

[fortunate sun]

20 termer, huh? Informed electorate.

[randita]

Pelosi got a gift when voters ousted Wm. Jefferson. Voters will never oust Rangel from Harlem, so other ways have to be taken and then blame it on Republicans.

Pelosi doesn’t want Rangel as head of Ways and Means.

[FES0844]

yeah, wasn’t she going to “clean the house” & drain the swamp?????? What a bunch of windbags & crooks!

[capt. norm]

If the MSM were not so partisan, they could find a lot of "red meat" scandals and misdeeds throughout the Democratic Party.

Maybe, if things get much worse for them, they'll have to stop covering up for the crooks and turn on their fellow liberals to keep their jobs.

[6SJ7]

Your tax dollars at work.

[Ann Archy]

Rangel has SO DAMN MANY SCANDALS, but he’s BLACK so NOTHING will happen to him....NOTHING.

[italianquaker]

I have been saying that they are nothing but whores.As the job cuts continue there knives will get sharper and less biased

[Red Badger]

“Most ethical Congress in history!”...................GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!!...........

[vox_freedom]

Charles Rangel is, indeed, the gift that keeps on giving...

[kezzek]

The GOP is powerless to do anything about this. The GOP is just plain powerless altogther.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

More like the gift that keeps on TAKING.

[Cincinatus]

Hey! Cut the guy some slack! It’s exhausting giving away other people’s money!!

[Dustbunny]

GOP handed gift in Rangel ethics case

Yes, but will they do anything with it?

[Cheetahcat]

Rangel has SO DAMN MANY SCANDALS, but he’s BLACK so NOTHING will happen to him....NOTHING.

In the eyes of our racist government only Whites are bad!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

” not reporting or paying taxes on $75,000 in rental income from his villa”
That’s just the tip of the iceberg in the rental scam. One year’s worth, probably. The condo manager says Charlie’s villa is rented out constantly, and is the villa most in demand. I predict that it will be found that there were several hundreds of thousands of dollars more in unreported rental over the past several years.

[The Great RJ]

Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) continued to hold his seat even after an FBI sting caught him accepting bribes and found thousands in cash in a home freezer. It was only Louisiana voters who got him out of Congress.