New York Times reporters Raymond Hernandez and Jim Rutenberg asserted yesterday:
There seems to be little joy in being Representative Charles B. Rangel these days…as an ethics investigation into his financial dealings continues, Mr. Rangel’s once-considerable clout is diminished and his spirits are often gloomy, friends and associates say, even as he begins to fight back.
Shouldn’t it be taxpayers who are gloomy as long as Rangel remains in office? Each new revelation about Rangel’s finances points to a pattern of corner cutting and corruption that has gone on for decades.
And just what is Rangel fighting back against? After NLPC exposed it, Rangel himself admitted that he failed to disclose or pay taxes on rental income from his Dominican Republic beach house. The resulting scrutiny prompted Rangel to amend his financial disclosure forms for 2002 through 2006 because he left off hundreds of thousands in income and assets.
Pelosi and Rangel argue that he should not be prejudged before the Ethics Committee completes its “investigation.” But Rangel has already ADMITTED that he did not pay his taxes. He has already ADMITTED that he failed to disclose hundreds of thousands in assets on forms he signed subject to the False Statements Act, which provides for criminal penalties for violators.
The only additional thing that the Ethics Committee can do is to confirm that Rangel low-balled the amount of his unpaid taxes, and left off even more income and/or assets from his amended disclosures, as we have alleged.
But, of course, it will not. The Pelosi-controlled Ethics Committee is a joke. Rangel did not ask the Committee to investigate him because he expected a real probe.
According to the Times:
He (Rangel) went on to suggest that his position on Capitol Hill remained strong, noting that both President Obama and the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, congratulated him on his committee’s role in shaping the health care legislation approved by the House this month.
“President called me and said I did a great job; Pelosi called me and said I did a great job,” he said. “I’m doing a great job.”
Related:
NY City Cuts Off Funding For Rangel-Backed Group
Charles Rangel Attacks NLPC on House Floor
Rangel Faces New Ethics Complaint From Conservative Group (The Hill)
NLPC Files New Rangel Ethics Complaint
Two House Ethics Committee Members Tainted by Rangel Cash
Timeline of Charles Rangel Ethics Scandal
Photo Casts More Doubt on Rangel Claims
Flaherty: Rangel Had to Know of Junket’s Corporate Sponsorship (Fox News Channel video)
Flaherty: Rangel Dirty Even After Coming Clean (CNN/Anderson Cooper video)
Flaherty: Rangel is ‘Serial Offender’ (CNN/Anderson Cooper video)
NLPC Alleges Charles Rangel Hid More Income in Complaint to House Ethics Committee
Washington Post Calls on Rangel to Resign Ways and Means Chairmanship, But What About Criminality?
WSJ Highlights NLPC’s Efforts to Expose Rangel’s Tax Evasion
Caribbean Junket Probe Headed by Black Caucus Member Shows Pelosi’s ‘Mockery’ of Ethics Process
House Ethics Committee Asks NLPC For Info on Rangel-Led, Citigroup-Funded Caribbean Junket
Peter Flaherty Discusses Citigroup-Funded Congressional Junket on CNBC (video)