Culture of corruption: Rangel and his Ethics Committee foxes
Charlie Rangel puts a whole new twist on walking-around money.
He doled it out to Ethics Committee Democrat members walking around on the Hill.
And it’s paying off.
WCBS-TV reports:
CBS 2 HD has learned of more alleged back-door dealings and political power peddling by Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel.
The reigning member of Congress’ top tax committee is apparently “wrangling” other politicos to get him out of his own financial and tax troubles.
Here’s a look at Charlie’s so-called “angels” involved in his ethics investigation.
Congressman Rangel has been arrogant in refusing to discuss how, as the man who writes this country’s tax laws, he failed to report over $1 million in outside income and $3 million in business transactions as required by the House, lapses under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
“I recognize that all of you have an obligation to ask questions knowing that there’s none of you smart enough to frame it in such a way that I’m going to respond,” Rangel said.
There may be a reason for Rangel’s arrogance. CBS 2 HD has discovered that since ethics probes began last year the 79-year-old congressman has given campaign donations to 119 members of Congress, including three of the five Democrats on the House Ethics Committee who are charged with investigating him.
Charlie’s “angels” on the committee include Congressmen Ben Chandler of Kentucky, G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and Peter Welch of Vermont. All have received donations from Rangel.
Welch has since returned the money.
Foxes. Henhouse. Business as usual.
Most ethical Congress ever, eh, Nancy?
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Categories: Corruption, Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, Race Hustlers
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MM, your blog is broken. Look at the comment numbers.
Tech team is updating WordPress. Working on comment numbering issues.
Michelle needs a “Widget Czar”
“May never see Snow”
GMAFB
Letterman, grow a brain.
Business as usual with Rangeler.Payoffs
That whole nest of vipers needs to be cleaned out.
Since 2005, New York’s Rep. Charlie Rangel has tacked $2 million dollars per year onto Darpa’s budget for the Museum’s Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics. It’s one of three projects Rangel sponsors at the landmark museum on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The Institute isn’t known for its military expertise; instead, it studies the history of evolutionary biology and genetic adaptation. But with Rangel’s backing, the Institute has been working to create a predictive algorithm for modern pandemics, using data on how viral influenzas morph and spread. Last year, the researchers there published a Google Maps-like tool to visualize how Bird Flu became a worldwide terror. Institute Director George Amato says the organization applied for federal dollars because the project “can be applied to society as a whole, unlike other research we do.”
Throw all of the bums out!!!
Why is Rangel financing flu pandemic studies….with taxpayer monies.
These people are whackos…just the kind of people O likes….thin the herd types.
I’m sure this notion would work should the IRS come knocking at my door. Not.
Another thought: shouldn’t it be illegal for Congressmen to give donations to other Congressmen? If not, why not?
Should be but it’s not. Because they make the rules for everybody. One set for us, another set for them.
This is outrageous and appaling, a public servant treating people and the taxpayers he works for like servants. The word arrogant is not strong enough.
rangel is a pathetic piece of garbage, another reason to get rid of these worthless liberals. will laugh when his corrupt butt is brought up on charges one of these days and the race baiting chants begin. this worm is a liar and a thief, can’t believe he’s not already in jail, to be sure rangel learned he could get away being a crook by being elected by his peers.
Rulings by the ethics committee can be called into question.
Is there an overseer entity outside and above the ethics committee?
We need to find the right place to apply the pressure.
Wow and again, thanks Michelle for the sunlight.
Rangel’s arrogance is a symptom of those that have been entrenched in Washington for decades. Back in the day, before the internet, this wouldn’t have seen the light of day. They’ve grown accustomed to the ‘perks’ that their tenure has ensured. Time to treat the symptoms; Rx is term limits, applied liberally until the disease has gone.
Rangel, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, et. al. are nothing but corruptocrat race-baiters … to put it mildly …
I find it amazing, that Charlie has money to bribe those on the Ethics Committee, but can’t pay his taxes. What is sicker yet is those on the Ethics Committee took the money. It’s time to throw all of these corrupt SOB’s out of office.
http://www.changethecongressin2010.com/
Biden says the economic stimulus plan is working better than they ever thought it would–wtfo!!!!
Hard to see snow with your head up your a$$.
Carol, that is one of the few things there may be a legitimate basis for the government to fund.
Rangel is as crooked as a mountain road. Let’s not get misdirected into a gray area.
Wait I thought they misjudged the economy?????
Do they even hear themselves?
Congresscritters can donate to fellow congresscritters?
Looked for a synonym and found biggety, which means “rudely self-important.” Biggety also handles his girth.
Corruption reigns supreme on the Hill, and the MSM doesn’t care. More likely, these days, the MSM has joined in, and is keeping quiet, or bought off too. Top news story today: a drug rehab shooting in Mexico. Whoopie.
Well, if Rangel should ever get tossed out of office, I’m sure he can still make a good living dealing Three Card Monte.
Ethics? Democrats? Kinda like oil and water.
Not related to topic MM’ers, but what do you think about a couple of ideas I have.
1. Our military personel don’t get paid nearly enough in my opinion. I know when I went in the Marine Corps, an E1’s pay rate was $326 a month. Anyway, I’d like to see all military personell on active duty be exempt from federal income taxes.
2. To address the problems with the bills congress votes on, make it a requirement that all bills be written in a format that the average AMERICAN CITIZEN can understand. Its a requirent that health insurers must meet with the policies they write.
Thoughts?
It would be racist to press this issue any longer. Why? I don’t know, but that is the underlying current here.
No matter any response you frame Charlie, you’ll still be a crook!
Most ethical congress evah my patuttie Nancy!! Prove it! I Dare Ya!!
Cowboy: Regarding your thoughts on the military being exempt from taxes. IMHO, NOT a good idea, as it would set them apart from other citizens.
I’ll give you that military pay has lagged and the Carter Administration really paid the price when they literally said “…people can vote with their feet…”. I was in rated officer management at the time (TAC HQ) and watched as many of my fellow, very highly experienced fighter pilots jumped ship — at the height of the Cold War, I might add — when the military was shunned for ’social programs.’
Further, there are many ‘unpaid’ benefits the military enjoys (health care, billeting, allowances, commissary, etc) that many would LOVE to have — but, of course, they won’t enlist to qualify for them.
Finally, when I was ‘butter bar’ my base pay was just about what your E-1 pay was with the USMC (I went to the Marine C&SC — Semper Fi) and flight pay added a whopping $100/month. Then I got to participate in the SEA War Games and earned combat pay of $1.00/day — WOW, was I rich!
Nail49
When I came in as 2nd LT. (USAF) base pay was $321 mo., housing was $85, and subsistence (food for those in Rio Linda) was $48. But–medical/dental were free and you started with 30 days leave–not all that shabby.
Color me unsurprised that you can bribe the ethics committee. We’re barely a quarter step up from Mexico when it comes to government corruption now.
battleaxe truer words were never spoken.
Hey Fireblogger – what the heck is your comment supposed to mean about there seems to be an underlying racist tone in the comments?
Rangel is a crook, plain, simple. The ethics committee is comprised of other crooks, plain and simple. What’s racist about that? If you are implying that the commenters here are ragging on Rangel because he happens to be black – JUST GIVE ME FRIGGIN BREAK!! I am so sick of being called a racist whenever I point out that today’s Congress members (all of them) are criminals – Puhleeze!
You knuckle-dragging conservative cretins just don’t understand:It is OK what Charlie does,because after all,he’s a Democrap.
Seriously thogh,I truly hope the people of this country will soon wake up to these politican’s games,and vote them all out of office,and into prison,where they belong.
Ideallogical differences should be set aside,when it comes to criminal activity on either side.
Wouldn’t it be great to wake up one day and find yourself a million dollars richer! It would be like winning the lottery.
I can’t wait to hear his “good explanations”. Maybe we can use the same excuses for not reporting half our income to the IRS.
Why would it take the House ethics committee a year or more to investigate Rangel? Either he has “good explanations” for his actions, or it is a cut and dried case of violating the law. The only reason to take this long is to play politics. They’re obviously having a difficult time trying to come up with a plausible reason to exonerate Rangel.
My fav for these crooks is HUBRIS.
And it’s origin has to do with the Rock of Gibralter, named something like Hubiris rock …
in antiquity, any one who would sail past that point was beyond arrogant and probably insanely arrogant= hence HUBRIS.
something like that.
it fits.
All of the members of Congress and the President and members of the Cabinet are complicit in violating the Constitution in a number of ways, particularly the robbing of the Treasury. Anybody know what is allowed for High Crimes and Misdemeanors leading to impeachment? I need to study this as I believe the PEOPLE (MEANING US) can petition to bring a charge of impeachment against some, if not all of them.
And speaking Obama and his associates. Seems O’s Green Jobs Czar is a 9/11 Truther. He believes 9/11 was an inside job.
How does one get on an ethics committee?
I could sure use the extra money.
But he’s black….Congresscritters have that special situation. All they have to do is impress the citizens of their district. Very few people in all is needed to keep their office. If it is a properly gerrymandered black district, he is safe for years. Many black people are racist and will vote for or against somebody because of the color of their skin. Their black leaders tell them too.
He knows how to spread his power (graft) around to other important leaders in that small community so that they all support each other. It is hard for outsiders (even if they are black)to come in and try to break up that mafia style consortium and take away that power. See Pelosi et al for more examples.
The Democrat Party is a criminal enterprise.