By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer
September 17, 2008
WASHINGTON - The Democratic congressman who writes the tax
code will be meeting the tax collector. Republicans couldn't
be happier.
Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, the gravelly voiced chairman
of the House Ways and Means Committee, discovered that he owes
back taxes on rental income from his Dominican Republic beach
villa.
Republicans, in the minority in both the House and Senate,
desperately needed a new Democratic scandal. Before Rangel's
ethical troubles became known and there has been no finding
of wrongdoing the GOP was trailing 7-2 in the most serious
corruption tally: lawmakers indicted or convicted since 2000.
For more details, you can Google congressional Republicans
Ted Stevens, Rick Renzi, Larry Craig, Bob Ney, Randy "Duke" Cunningham,
Tom DeLay and William Janklow. To make the Googling bipartisan,
also see Democrats William Jefferson and James Traficant.
So far, Rangel has given Republicans these political gifts:
- An estimated tax bill of $5,000 from undeclared rental
income at the Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic.
- A recent photo of the congressman, 78, fast asleep in a
lounge chair at the resort, an arm dangling onto the sand.
- Use of official stationery to reach out to potential donors
for an educational center named after — who else? himself.
- Use of a rent-stabilized apartment in Harlem as a campaign
office.
Republican leaders are demanding that Rangel get booted from
his chairmanship, payback for the hammering they took from
Democrats on the corruption issue.
Former GOP Rep. Mark Foley's affection for young male pages
was one reason that House Republicans' 229-202 majority evaporated
in the 2006 election. The Democrats are running the place now,
with a current majority of 235-199.
Rangel has so far resisted Republican attempts to separate
him from the chairmanship of his tax-writing committee but
says he's willing to take his medicine if wrongdoing is found.
Every time a new allegation appears in the media, Rangel has
a solution: Send it to the House ethics committee.
The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, as it's formally
named, has its Rangel work piling up as the panel of five Democrats
and five Republicans is operating with an acting chairman and
an acting chief counsel.
It was never known for speed anyway, sometimes taking years
on major investigations. Most of its members don't want to
be there.
Just ask Rep. Howard Berman, the California Democrat who reluctantly
returned to the committee in 2006 to untangle a bitter partisan
deadlock.
"An honor I could do without," he said upon rejoining
the unpopular committee. After navigating the supersensitive
Foley case, which focused on teenagers under the House's care,
Berman hightailed it out of the committee's Capitol basement
offices for good.
Congress is set to go home in two weeks to campaign for the
Nov. 4 elections, and it's unclear whether members will return
after the voting.
If history is any guide, committee Democrats will be reluctant
to spend their time investigating one of their most powerful
chairmen.
In the meantime, House Republican leader John Boehner and
Rangel relentlessly go after each other.
"I have felt embarrassed for my friend, John Boehner,
for believing that politically he has to do this," Rangel
responded to yet another Boehner call for the New Yorker to
vacate his chairmanship.
Boehner retorted: "I like Charlie Rangel. I think the
world of Charlie, but the rules are the rules. The law is the
law, and Charlie ought to do the honorable thing and step aside
until the ethics committee has time to investigate this."
As for Rangel, the normally garrulous lawmaker hasn't been
himself. He blows past reporters, refusing comment.
Some recent samples:
"I am unable to say anything."
"Do to me what you want, I'm not talking."
"Please don't feel offended if you ask your best questions
and don't get an answer."
Or this reference to his military service during the Korean
War:
"At this point in time I am unable to say anything except
Charles Rangel, staff sergeant, RA57156282, 2nd Infantry Division."
Name. Rank. Serial Number.
___
Larry Margasak has covered Congress for The Associated Press
for a quarter-century.
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