James Capel, who until February was a top aide to Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), pleaded guilty yesterday in Manhattan Criminal Court to charges resulting from his failure to file a tax return for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. Capel reportedly did not file a tax return from 2003 onward, but was saved from prosecution by the statute of limitations for the earlier years. Capel must pay $42,088 in back taxes and pay a $1,000 fine.
After we exposed it, Rangel admitted in September 2008 to not paying taxes on rental income from a Dominican Republic beach house. We filed Complaints with the U.S. Attorney for D.C. and the IRS but Rangel has not faced prosecution or penalty. Moreover, Rangel admitted to failing to disclose hundreds of thousands in income and assets on his financial disclosure forms, which he signed under penalty of the False Statements Act, but the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department has so far launched no prosecution.
Again, Rangel gets a free pass from the Justice Department as it goes after underlings.
Another Rangel crony, Karl Rodney, pled guilty last month to lying to the House Ethics Committee during its investigation of Rangel-led Caribbean junkets. Rodney organized the junkets that were funded by big corporations like Citigroup, in violation of House rules. Rangel resigned his Ways and Means chairmanship as a result of his admonition for accepting the trips. We also exposed the junkets. The House Ethics Committee action was based on my photographs and audio recordings.
Related:
Rangel Junket Organizer Pleads Guilty
Paranoid Rangel Claims We Broke Into His Office
NLPC Alleges Rangel Illegally Used Leadership PAC Funds for Legal Defense