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Rangel Wrangles with New York Times
December 02, 2008 5:18 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel is firing back at his critics, lashing out at The New York Times in the wake of the latest in a series of politically damaging revelations.
“The New York Times is attacking Chairman Rangel for opposing a Senate bill that the New York Times also opposed, in an unsourced example of a reporter looking for a scandal,” said Matthew Beck, communications director for the House Ways and Means Committee.
The Times last week reported that Rangel, D-N.Y., fought to preserve a tax loophole for an oil-drilling company at the same time the company’s CEO was pledging $1 million to a new City College of New York school that will be named after Rangel.
Rangel has vehemently denied any connection between the actions. The Times reported that Rangel met with the company’s CEO and chief lobbyist on the same day the tax measure was altered in a way that helped the company.
But Beck said the provision was dropped by staff members on the Senate Finance Committee, without any involvement by Rangel.
“The heart of the story -- that Mr. Rangel actively intervened on his committee to preserve a tax break for Nabors Industries -- is demonstrably false,” he said.
The pushback comes at a delicate time for the 78-year-old Harlem Democrat, who is facing an Ethics Committee inquiry and mounting political pressure from inside and outside the Democratic caucus over a growing list of alleged improprieties.
In addition to questions raised about fundraising efforts for his college center, Rangel is under scrutiny for failing to pay taxes on income from a beach house he owns in the Dominican Republic, in addition to questions about how he was able to procure four rent-controlled apartments in New York City.
With Rangel’s committee on track to review key pieces of the Obama economic and tax agenda, Democrats are anxious to see questions about Rangel’s conduct -- particularly involving his own taxes -- put to rest before the new Congress convenes.
Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued an unusual public statement saying she had “been assured the [ethics committee] report will be completed” by the time the current congressional term ends Jan. 3.
Such investigations are shrouded in secrecy, and committee members are forbidden to discuss the timeline of their inquiries -- even with the House speaker. Pelosi’s office said the speaker was basing her statement on her own staff’s assessment of the matter, not inside information.
In a letter to Pelosi sent Tuesday, Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, demanded a more complete explanation from the speaker.
“Coming so close on the heels of new and serious allegations against Rep. Rangel, creating a public expectation that the Ethics Committee would soon conclude its inquiry could be viewed as an attempt to fend off growing -- and legitimate -- demands that Rep. Rangel step aside as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means while the Ethics Committee conducts its probe into his conduct,” wrote Carter, who was elected as GOP conference secretary last month.
In the meantime, Republicans are stepping up their efforts to highlight Rangel’s problems. A House GOP leadership aide said leaders are contemplating renewed efforts to censure Rangel or strip him of his chairmanship while the investigation is ongoing.
They are also considering using an obscure parliamentary maneuver that would force a floor vote on whether Rangel should retain his chairmanship in the next Congress -- a vote House Democrats would rather avoid.
The matter threatens to be a distraction to the incoming Obama administration.
“If [Pelosi] does nothing, Rangel’s problems are going to be Obama’s problems,” the GOP aide said.
Pelosi last month quietly backed a leadership challenge to House Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., in part because he was perceived as an obstacle to the Obama agenda. (Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., succeeded in ousting Dingell as chairman.)
But moving against Rangel carries substantial risks for Pelosi. Rangel appears to continue to enjoy the support of Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee. He also is strongly backed by the Congressional Black Caucus, which has tangled with Pelosi in the past and would likely raise major objections to pushing out a veteran African-American leader like Rangel.
Asked Monday whether she thinks Rangel should be removed from his post, Pelosi told reporters in New York: “I don't foresee that.”
December 2, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (21)
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Hasn't anyone heard Rangel's motto? "If you got the means, he'll make the way!" He's the most incredible tax man/dodger our country has ever had.
Posted by: Political Jules | Dec 2, 2008 5:52:08 PM
If this is a conflict of interest, then I think any bailout of the automotive industry should be taken seriously as a conflict of interest: the UAW exists because of the auto industry, and the UAW makes significant donations to the Democratic Party. The leftist illuminati should not benefit from dumping cash into an industry that heavily supports their heavy supporters.
Posted by: limbaughgal | Dec 2, 2008 5:56:59 PM
The Republicans are down and out in DC and the liberal press won't have them to beat up come January. Poor Democrats! Heh heh heh!!!
Posted by: denn84116 | Dec 2, 2008 5:57:35 PM
Rangel shouldn't have a chairmanship. He, Jefferson, Frank who took campaign contributions from Fannie while praising the company and stalling regulation of it, and Murtha who knew about the subprime crisis 6 months before it peaked and did nothing, should all be stripped of any responsibility. Pelosi's squeaky clean Congress is a cesspool of corruption. Add Dodd and his sweetheart mortgage and you have both Pelosi and Reid who have done thing about corruption in their party.
Posted by: jschmidt | Dec 2, 2008 6:02:18 PM
didn't speaker lady plastic face promise the most ethical congress in history? so, we've got william jefferson still sitting, rangle ripping everyone off, and what's his face the democrat sleazebag womanizer who replaced what's his face the republican sleazebag boychaser. too hilarious.
Posted by: davidfrat21 | Dec 2, 2008 6:09:47 PM
THERE'S ONLY ROOM FOR THE ONE BROTHER IN THIS SHOW!!! AND THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN!!! "CHARLIE...RANGEL...DARKNESS!!"
"POWER IS A HELLUVA DRUG!!!"
THE ONE
Posted by: obama | Dec 2, 2008 6:10:39 PM
The 110th maybe a cesspool of corruption. However it ain't half a bad as the rubber stamp screw the American People Congresses 108th and 109th. Man if they could have just had oversite of the Administration!!!
Posted by: Vernon | Dec 2, 2008 6:11:15 PM
Rangel shouldn't just step aside as chair, he should step aside period.
Posted by: samhiguchi | Dec 2, 2008 6:20:35 PM
Vernon- at least the Bush Justice Dept locked the Republicans who were corrupt. Will the Obama Justice Dept tolerate the Democratic corruption?
Posted by: jschmidt | Dec 2, 2008 6:37:29 PM
Sounds pretty racist to keep him in solely because he's black. Is that the litmus test of Washington leadership today?
Posted by: Morris X. Robinowitzochowski | Dec 2, 2008 6:50:58 PM
Democrat Culture of Corruption. Rangel should resign now.
Posted by: Dennis D | Dec 2, 2008 6:51:04 PM
Whether Demo or Repub...let's put the heat on to get the crooks out of Congress. Call someone...anyone and voice your demands for a honest Congress.
Posted by: rog | Dec 2, 2008 6:52:55 PM
I've never thought Rangel was that sharp on the issues, but this stuff sounds pretty much like chickensh-t that Republicans are just using for scandal-mongering. Hey, the American people voted. They have rejected Republican government. Let someone else have a turn now on policy. Rangel knows how to count votes, which is mainly what that Chair does. The accusations against him are consistent with my image of him as a pretty careless, sloppy guy, not corrupt. He is probably as honest as anyone is with so much power, and none of these charges against him really have anything to do with misuse of power. Even if Rangel favored an amendment, it has to get 216 other votes in the House and 51 in the Senate. Now John McCain putting pressure on regulators to stop regulating Lincoln Savings for his buddy Charles Keating who gave him contributions and personal luxury trips - that was misuse of power.
Posted by: Mike | Dec 2, 2008 7:57:25 PM
the rest of us have known he is the sleazy politician for years. incumbents just hardly ever lose.
Posted by: al | Dec 2, 2008 8:07:07 PM
Rangel is a crook and shouldn't have a job....... PERIOD!!! And before any of you start your partisan bickering, I'm a registered and devoted Democrat. Rangel should go, Vitter should go, and William Jefferson should go. Thankfully Larry Craig is soon gone and the fool in Florida was voted out. Now America, lets finish cleaning house in Washington!!!
Posted by: dk | Dec 2, 2008 8:47:33 PM
mike-mccain was found not responsible in the keating 5- the other 4 congressmen were Democrats. The special prosecutor in the keating case wanted to drop mccain but the Democratic leader of the ethics committee wanted to keep a Republican on the hook with the other Democrats. Rangel is head of the committee that handles the tax code. He didn't report rental income on his taxes. Sound like he doesn't know his subject. Frank was taking money from Fannie in 05 while telling MccCain and others who wanted to regulate Fannie that it was a great company. Dodd took his sweetheart mortgage from COuntrywide while bailing them out. So maybe you should concentrate on the current Democratic corruption instead of digging up 25 year old stories on McCain that he was not even accused of.
Posted by: jschmidt | Dec 2, 2008 9:06:02 PM
limbaughgal - You are absolutely right! Way to go, girl!
Posted by: M. Summer | Dec 3, 2008 8:20:58 AM
why did they fry Stevens of Alaska and give this guy a pass?
Posted by: janey | Dec 3, 2008 8:58:40 AM
to dk--I appreciate your post--too many people regurgitate this nonsense after McCain and John Glenn were exonerated of any wrongdoing. I think it is because McCain is mostly above reproach in any of his financial dealings. Dems scrape the barrel bottom for scum that is not there to excuse their own party's misdeeds.
Posted by: janey | Dec 3, 2008 9:05:24 AM
Hey! Lay off the guy. He's Black. You're a RACIST if you even think about critisizing him or any othe Black (or half-Black like Obama)
Posted by: JACK | Dec 3, 2008 1:54:11 PM
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