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| What about Rangel? The Adam Clayton Powell of the 21st Century |
| 2009-09-17 |
| The House of Representatives wasted no time in lowering the boom this week on the rude and inexcusable conduct of Rep. Joe Wilson, Republican of South Carolina. Wilson yelled out "you lie" while President Barack Obama was delivering his health care reform appeal to a joint session of Congress last week. It took just six days for the House to approve a formal rebuke of Wilson. OK. So far, so good. Now, what about the questionable conduct of some other members of the House? Take Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rangel has been under investigation by the House ethics committee for 10 months. Granted, this is more complicated than one lout shouting "You lied." But Rangel's alleged conduct could be far more damaging to the reputation of the House. He faces allegations that he: --Controlled four rent-stabilized New York City apartments, one of which he illegally turned into a campaign office. -- Took a homestead exemption on a Washington D.C. house, which is only available for a primary residence. Under New York law, a rent-controlled apartment must be your primary residence. --Solicited donations on congressional letterhead for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York and worked to preserve a tax break for an oil drilling company after its top executive donated $1 million to the center. --Failed to report to the IRS and pay taxes on $75,000 in rental income from a beachfront property in the Dominican Republic. --Underestimated on his House ethics statement the value of a Florida condo he and his wife owned. --Violated House disclosure rules by failing to report the full details of some privately sponsored trips. There's more. Last month, Rangel amended his House financial disclosure forms to report profits from the sale of a Harlem townhouse, thousands of dollars in mutual fund dividends and two checking accounts valued at $250,000 to $500,000 each. Rangel has displayed an appalling lack of candor and care in his financial affairs, yet he remains chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Did the House Democratic leadership learn nothing from the political price that Republicans paid for their ham-handed handling of ethics issues when they were in charge of the House? By not dealing swiftly and forthrightly with Rangel, the Democrats are telling the public that ethics doesn't really matter. Charlie Rangel? He's too important for that. Democrats, rap Joe Wilson for being a boor. He was. But you still have a much larger problem in your midst. |
| Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC |
| #1 Adam Clayton Powell By the mid-1960s Powell was being increasingly criticized for mismanagement of the committee budget, taking trips abroad at public expense (including travel to his retreat on the Bahamian isle of Bimini), and missing sittings of his committee. He was also under attack in his district, where his refusal to pay a slander judgment made him subject to arrest. He spent increasing amounts of time in Florida. Following allegations that Powell had misappropriated Committee funds for his personal use and other charges, in January 1967 the House Democratic Caucus stripped Powell of his committee chairmanship. The full House refused to seat him until completion of an investigation by the Judiciary Committee. Powell urged his supporters to "keep the faith, baby" while the investigation went on. On March 1 the House voted 307 to 116 to exclude him. Powell said "On this day, the day of March in my opinion, the end of the United States of America as the land of the free and the home of the brave."[5] Powell won the special election in April to fill the vacancy caused by his exclusion, but did not take his seat. He sued in Powell v. McCormack to retain his seat. In June 1969 the Supreme Court ruled that the House had acted unconstitutionally when it excluded Powell, a duly elected member. He returned to the House, but without his seniority. Again his absenteeism was increasingly noted.[6] In June 1970 Powell was defeated in the Democratic primary by Charles B. Rangel. In fall 1970, He failed to get on the ballot for the November election as an Independent. The more things change the more they stay the same. |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2009-09-17 14:36 |