Culture of Corruption Watch: Remove Rangel
The House is scheduled to vote today on a resolution to remove corruptocrat Charlie Rangel from his Ways and Means chairmanship.
Make sure your congressional reps are on board. Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121.
From GOP Rep. John Carter’s office:
Carter Joins New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Buffalo News, Minneapolis Star-Tribune in Calling for Chairman to Step Down
(WASHINGTON, DC) – House Members Wednesday will have to cast a recorded vote on whether it is acceptable for Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) to evade federal taxes for over a decade, and yet pay none of the penalties and interest charges that the IRS piles on the average American taxpayer for far less serious offenses.
House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter (R-TX) this morning is introducing a Privileged Resolution calling for Rangel to be removed as Chairman of the committee that oversees the IRS and the federal tax code, until the 16-month investigation of multiple tax, federal disclosure, and ethics violation charges against Chairman Rangel has been concluded.
Rangel in August made new confessions of failure to report nearly a million dollars in assets on federal disclosure forms. Since the Ethics Committee investigation of Rangel began in July 2008, it had already been expanded twice before the latest revelations.
“We cannot tolerate a double standard in this country, one for the common man and another for the rich and powerful,” says Carter, a former state judge for over 20 years. “To allow Mr. Rangel to continue to serve as Chairman of the very committee with IRS oversight, without paying a nickel in penalties, and with no end in sight to his ethics investigation, sends a clear message to the American public that this government refuses to abide by the same laws they impose on the working people of this country. With this vote, those people can see exactly where their representative stands on the issue of equality under the law.”
Carter has also challenged and criticized the even more serious tax violations of U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Geithner failed to pay federal withholding taxes over multiple tax years on earnings from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), yet when discovered by IRS audit, paid no penalties.
“When the boss of the IRS, and the Chairman of the House Committee that controls the IRS, fail to pay their taxes and walk off without penalty, we have made a mockery of our tax system and the rule of law itself,” says Carter. “Either this House repairs this damage, or the American people will have to replace this House. The only other option is to change the law so that every American taxpayer is afforded the same leniency as Secretary Geithner and Chairman Rangel.”
Carter challenged all House Members to read the resolution carefully, examine the seriousness of the admissions and charges, and judge whether they in good conscience could vote against the measure and explain their support of a double standard to constituents with tax problems.
Here’s the full text of the Resolution:
Raising a question of the privileges of the House.
WHEREAS, the gentleman from New York, Charles B. Rangel, the fourth most senior Member of the House of Representatives, serves as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a position of considerable power and influence within the House of Representatives; and,
WHEREAS, clause one of Rule XXXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives provides, “A Member, Delegate, Resident Commission, officer, or employee of the House shall conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House;
WHEREAS, The New York Times reported on September 5, 2008, that, “Representative Charles B. Rangel has earned more than $75,000 in rental income from a villa he has owned in the Dominican Republic since 1988, but never reported it on his federal or state tax returns, according to a lawyer for the congressman and documents from the resort.”; and,
WHEREAS, in an article in the September 5, 2008 edition of The New York Times, his attorney confirmed that Representative Rangel’s annual congressional Financial Disclosure statements failed to disclose the rental income from his resort villa; and,
WHEREAS, The New York Times reported on September 6, 2008 that, “Representative Charles B. Rangel paid no interest for more than a decade on a mortgage extended to him to buy a villa at a beachfront resort in the Dominican Republic, according to Mr. Rangel’s lawyer and records from the resort. The loan, which was extended to Mr. Rangel in 1988, was originally to be paid back over seven years at a rate of 10.5 percent. But within two years, interest on the loan was waived for Mr. Rangel.”; and,
WHEREAS, clause 5(a)(2)(A) of House Rule 25 defines a gift as, “…a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary value” and prohibits the acceptance of such gifts except in limited circumstances; and,
WHEREAS, Representative Rangel’s acceptance of thousands of dollars in interest forgiveness is a violation of the House gift ban; and,
WHEREAS, Representative Rangel’s failure to disclose the aforementioned gifts and income on his Personal Financial Disclosure Statements violates House rules and federal law; and,
WHEREAS, Representative Rangel’s failure to report the aforementioned gifts and income on federal, state and local tax returns is a violation of the tax laws of those jurisdictions; and,
WHEREAS, the Committee on Ways and Means, which Representative Rangel chairs, has jurisdiction over the United States Tax Code; and,
WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct first announced on July 31, 2008 that it was reviewing allegations of misconduct by Representative Rangel; and,
WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct announced on September 24, 2008 that it had established an investigative subcommittee in the matter of Representative Rangel; and,
WHEREAS, The New York Times reported on November 24, 2008 that, “Congressional records and interviews show that Mr. Rangel was instrumental in preserving a lucrative tax loophole that benefited [Nabors Industries] an oil drilling company last year, while at the same time its chief executive was pledging $1 million to the Charles B. Rangel School of Public Service at C.C.N.Y.”; and,
WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct announced on December 9, 2008 that it had expanded the jurisdiction of the aforementioned investigative subcommittee to examine the allegations related to Representative Rangel’s involvement with Nabors Industries; and,
WHEREAS, Roll Call newspaper reported on September 15, 2008 that, “The inconsistent reports are among myriad errors, discrepancies and unexplained entries on Rangel’s personal disclosure forms over the past eight years that make it almost impossible to get a clear picture of the Ways and Means chairman’s financial dealings.”; and,
WHEREAS, Roll Call newspaper reported on September 16, 2008 that, “Rangel said he would hire a ‘forensic accountant’ to review all of this disclosure forms going back 20 years, and to provide a report to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which Rangel said will then make public.”; and,
WHEREAS, nearly five months after Representative Rangel pledged to provide a public forensic accounting of his tax and federal financial disclosure records, he has failed to do so; and,
WHEREAS, an editorial in The New York Times on September 15, 2008 stated, “Mounting embarrassment for taxpayers and Congress makes it imperative that Representative Charles Rangel step aside as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee while his ethical problems are investigated.”; and,
WHEREAS, on May 24, 2006, then Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi cited “high ethical standards” in a letter to Representative William Jefferson asking that he resign his seat on the Committee on Ways and Means in light of ongoing investigations into alleged financial impropriety by Representative Jefferson,
WHEREAS, by the conduct giving rise to this resolution, Representative Charles B. Rangel has dishonored himself and brought discredit to the House; and,
Therefore, be it RESOLVED,
upon adoption of this resolution and pending completion of the investigation into his affairs by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, Representative Rangel is hereby removed as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.
Favorite flashback: Tax cheat Rangel caught on tape: “Why don’t you mind your goddamned business?”
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
 |
Jaczko the Jerk: Harry Reid’s sexist crony gets the boot
May 23, 2012 05:15 AM by Michelle Malkin
30 CommentsWhite House lied, jobs died
May 11, 2012 09:49 AM by Michelle Malkin
102 CommentsDrilling moratorium probe update: Green stonewallers caught red-handed
May 10, 2012 04:37 PM by Michelle Malkin
44 CommentsEPA’s “Crucify them” guy throws himself under the bus
April 30, 2012 12:41 PM by Michelle Malkin
60 CommentsWilliam ‘Cold Cash’ Jefferson (D-Frigidaire) must report to the cooler soon
April 20, 2012 04:46 PM by Doug Powers
36 CommentsGSA protest photo of the day
April 18, 2012 03:18 PM by Michelle Malkin
60 CommentsPeople line up in NYC amid ‘Obama stimulus money’ rumor
April 18, 2012 01:23 PM by Doug Powers
65 Comments
The real GSA scandal: job-killing Big Labor payoffs
April 18, 2012 12:35 AM by Michelle Malkin
89 CommentsCongressman to GSA officials: What does it take to actually be fired from the GSA?
April 17, 2012 02:30 PM by Doug Powers
64 Comments
Categories: Corruption
Nice Deb
» Uncovered Ad Shows Obama Appeared At 1996 Event Hosted By Democratic Socialists of AmericaNice Deb
» Uncovered Ad Shows Obama Appeared At 1996 Event Hosted By Democratic Socialists of AmericaNewsBusters.org
» Reuters's Freeland: 'Anorexic' Americans Think Tax Bite Too Heavy When In Fact It's Dangerously Thin
Why stop at Rangel?
jangar said:
Indeed, as well as toss the whole lot out, vote in a new group and term limits.
Rangel is one symbol of what’s wrong with Congress. Is anybody really surprised their approval rating is 21%?
And that hair. Tragic.
Buh-Bye.
Next?….
I’m surprised it’s 21%, I didn’t think it was that high.
Re-elect No One 2010.
spaceycakes said:
I am just curious – does he use Dapper Dan or Fop for his hair grease.
Puh-LEASE!
Why don’t they just tell the truth?
…the hypocritical, lying, cheating, fraud from New York, Charles B. Rangel…
michelle, you know rangel CAN’T be corrupt, first he’s black, so anyone who accuses him of corruption is just a racist, (remember adam clayton powell) and second he’s a democrat which means the press will ignore anything he does short of murder.
If you don’t mind listening to a 20 second Obamacare promotional message, the following is a free number to phone the capitol.
800-828-0498
Like Turbo Tax Timmy he’s “too important” to not have in his position.
Why without Charlie and Chris and Barney we will all die in a lake of fire.
/sarc
Be a member of D.R.I.P. – Don’t Re-elect Incumbent Politicians
My bumper sticker
Anti-imcumbency…
you are playing my song.
incumbency…
Some day my fingers will engage my mind…
As I said here, I can understand why the Senate Ethics Committee is looking at John Ensign, but where is the activity for Dodd and Rangel? Just a resolution? Spare me. Also, how many hearings were there on William “Cold Cash” Jefferson? I never noticed anything on the FoxNews, CNN, or MSNBC websites on a House investigation into HIS ethics.
Re-elect No One 2010 is a good idea I shall follow but Rangle does make such a fine target and Morality Play–he is a one man show and example of the utter corruption of the Beltway insiders and depravity of his district. When, heaven forbid of course, he passes they should stuff him and put in in the Capitol Rotunda-with hand out.
—
Don’t be a Dip
Be a member of D.R.I.P.
Nevada is a gambling State, my bet is that he gets the “slap on the wrist”, and a note to take home to mama, and things go on as usual…
rangel is the epitome of corruption. that he is chairman of any committee shows how utterly inept and criminal those in charge truly are. the only thing this piece of garbage should be in charge of is his little pile of rocks that he can spend time turning into pebbles. rangel is a disgusting worm that is of no value to this country.
Remove him from the Chairmanship? A tip of the iceberg. The guy needs to be in jail along with all the other officials who participated in SubPrimeGate. They have engaged in the greatest larceny in the history of the world and are still mincing down the the halls of Congress every day without fear of the law. Even all the ACORN-like organizations out there have little fear, even now.
Any wonder the public despises and has no respect for them? But they could care less, just so long as the money continues to flow.
Like other liberals, all he has to do is say that he’s sorry and apologize, and all will be forgiven. In today’s low morals and values society, that’s all that is needed.
Middle class savings are being drained into the pockets of these criminal politicians and their Chinese and corporate friends. The developing world is siphoning off the wealth of the American middle class with the help of our own politicians.
Rangel is just the latest poster boy dope who got lazy and then got caught. Not good for the corruptocrat business. They forgot the old Cosa Nostra maxim: never draw attention to yourself. That’s what real hubris and lack of a moral compass does to you.
It will NEVER happen.
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
Romans 3:10, ESV
All of Congress fears what will happen to them next. None dare cross the thin blue line.
Re-elect No One in 2010. I like it.
To bad we can’t “lock-out” Congress.
Hey y’all! Vote for me, Tre, in 2010!
I promise to accept kick-backs! Take bribes! Sell my vote to the highest bidder! And sell my influence!
My campaigne slogan: “At least I’m honest about my dishonesty!”
As a long suffering New York City resident, the thought of having Charlie Rangel removed from the chairmanship of Ways and Means (not to mention Congress itself via a corruption conviction), is a long-awaited dream come true…
… that is until you realize that his successor would be Pete Stark!
The “goniff” you know vs the “momzer” you don’t (or do – jeez, they’re all hideous).
Talk about a buzzkill J.J.
Stark is insane.
That is not the number for Congress. It is owned by a liberal lobbying group and then forwards at the end to the Capital Switchboard.
Don’t call this number and give them the satisfaction.
What time today is the vote?
Please report the roll call – my US Rep (Tsongas) voted to keep ACORN funding, and I’d love to know that she voted in favor of Rangel. It would be great for her 2010 re-election defeat!!
I don’t just want Rangel admonished, reprimanded…whatever. I want him OUT of office, charged criminally, and going to jail. Same with Chris (just like his Dad) Dodd. OUT & JAILED.
It’s time to take this dog for a walk…a perp walk.
Had I my way, there would be;
a) Term limits for both houses of congress.
b) Age limits for both houses of congress.
c) Means testing for both houses of congress. (Millionaires will serve gratis, and pay for their own airfare, and healthcare.)
d) Staff limits.
e) Elimination of ALL lobbying.
f) Prohibition from acting outside Constitutional guidelines. (Attempts to “interpret” plain constitutional language MUST result in expulsion from Congress, and immediate criminal investigation of those involved.)
g) Restructure pension benefits, and prohibit pension pay until total retirement.
h) Federal Identification cards required to vote, and for any federal aid received.
i) Public work requirement for those getting federal assistance. (Litter collection, painting, landscaping, etc.)
For starters…
WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct announced on December 9, 2008 that it had determined that Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) was a chronic nosepicker and derelict in the washing of hands after potty breaks!
Rangel is a donk, in a donk-controlled House. What makes that house stink is the fact that donks don’t take out their trash.
The outcome of the resolution is pre-ordained. The only surprising thing is how it made it to the floor for a vote. Pelosi must’ve been napping, or out getting another botox injection or something.
***
The super ethical House will issue a “sternly worded sanction” against him–signifying nothing.
***
Charlie Rangel fits right in with the rest of these crooks.
***
8 year term limits for all Senators and “representatives”. If it’s good enough for the president it’s good enough for Congress.
***
John Bibb
***
flip this house 2010….and every single election to ensure they can’t be entrenched and corrupted for long….terms limits but how to do that when there the ones who must make the law…we need a national referendum for that one I suppose…
Correct and that is the reason why I prefer to use their money instead of money instead of mine when I have to call Congress.
Congressman Randy Duke (R) is serving time for his corruption.
Just wondering when, if ever, a (D) might ever do anything other than appear (the operative word) contrite when other (D)s provide a slap on the wrist for their alleged corruption and then adjourn to the cloakroom and provide a slap on the back to the same miscreant all in celebration of the stupidity of the American voters.
Write to your local newspaper editor indicating what you know about Rangel and this so-called investigation into his corruption. You never know, it might get printed. Since the GOP seems unable or unwilling to use this kind of derogatroy information against the Dems (maybe they are condoning this behavior or are guilty of it themselves and afraid they’ll be the next one investigated)we will have to get the word out ourselves. Most Americans who are not following politics will know NOTHING about this, thanks to our left-tilted press. We will have to do the news spreading for them!
Will no one rid us of this bothersome politician?
rangle should be behind bars…while in the military I had 2 trustee’s working at our hospital in the records room (under very close scrutiny of course)…both were in for tax evasion…1 failed to pay taxes for 2 years and the other for 1…both 1 year sentences…go figure…the little guy gets jail and the congress moron gets paid by the taxpayer to write the laws….