tinyurl.com/n8qr34 -> www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/The-clock-is-ticking-on-tax-cheat-Charlie-Rangel-8177857-56361837.html
Byron York Chief Political Correspondent September 1, 2009 It hasn't gotten much attention amid news of Ted Kennedy, Obamacare and the worsening outlook in Afghanistan, but an extraordinary situation is developing in the House of Representatives. With each passing day, it's becoming more clear that the powerful committee chairman in charge of writing America's tax laws is a financial wheeler-dealer, a serial asset-hider, and a tax offender. He's as old bull as you get in the Democratic hierarchy, and he waited through 12 long years of Republican rule to take over as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in 2007. Along with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democratic power brokers Henry Waxman and Barney Frank, Rangel is playing a key role in the effort to push the president's health care, environmental, and financial initiatives through the House. Last week, we learned that Rangel filed a grossly misleading financial disclosure report for 2007 -- failing to report at least half a million dollars in assets. It turns out Rangel had a credit union account worth at least $250,000 and maybe as much as $500,000 -- and didn't report it. He had investment accounts worth about the same, which he also didn't report. Beyond that, we've learned that Rangel has failed to report assets totaling more than $1 million on legally required financial disclosure forms going back to at least 2001. The news comes on top of revelations last year that Rangel didn't report -- and didn't pay taxes on -- income from a villa in the Caribbean. In that matter, the Internal Revenue Service gave him sweetheart treatment; Rangel paid about $10,000 in back taxes but was not required to pay any penalty or interest. Rangel's doings are under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which so far hasn't taken any action. Democrats are standing behind their chairman, and minority Republicans can't do anything about it. In February, the GOP introduced a resolution calling for Rangel to be removed as chairman. The Republican leadership also wrote a letter to Pelosi urging that Rangel "step down from his Ways and Means chairmanship pending an investigation of his ethical lapses." And then there is HR 735, also known as the "Rangel Rule Act of 2009." John Carter, a Texas Republican who spent two decades as a judge before coming to the House in 2002, HR 735 would require the IRS to give everyone the same kid-glove treatment it gave Rangel. The bill's title is modeled on something known in Texas as the "Hobby Rule." In the 1970s, Bill Hobby, then the state lieutenant governor, was pulled over for drunken driving. Hobby was taken to the police station, but when his attorney showed up in the wee hours of the morning, authorities simply let Hobby go -- no bond, no nothing. That special treatment became a precedent for future drunken-driving cases, as lawyers cited the "Hobby Rule" to demand their clients be freed with no questions asked, just like Bill Hobby. Under HR 735, if you're caught cheating on your taxes, you would pay what you owe, then write "Rangel Rule" at the top of your return, and you wouldn't be charged any penalty or interest. That way, Carter said when he introduced the bill, ordinary taxpayers would be "treated with the same courtesy that, it seems, the IRS is treating the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee." If you don't think so, just look at this, from the front page of the Oct. Ted Stevens of Alaska, one of Congress's most powerful Republicans, was convicted yesterday of lying on financial disclosure forms to conceal his receipt of about $250,000 in gifts and expensive renovations to his house. " Stevens' conviction was later thrown out because of prosecutorial misconduct, but the message was clear: This is the kind of thing you can go to jail for. Rangel appears to have hidden greater sums of money than Stevens allegedly did. Democratic leaders don't want to face it now, but it's just a matter of time before they're forced to admit they have a serious Rangel problem.
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The Post continues to 'Macaca' Bob McDonnell Reader Comments All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. tucanofulano Sep 1, 2009 "You did the crime, now do the time." Rachelfriend Sep 1, 2009 Mr Rangel WILL go to jail at some point in the not too distant future (if he doesn't leave this planet beforehand). ggordon Sep 1, 2009 All laws need to apply equally to all. Let's start with the tax laws - as just another Dem tax cheat (see Obama appointee list) is shown leniency, and continue by applying the proposed health bills. ggordon Sep 1, 2009 It's really astounding how screwed up the Dem leadership has shown to be over the last several months. Obama diving as his Marxist policies come out, Dodd and his buddies getting sweetheart mortgages, Barnie screwing up the housing market to shield his longtime boyfriend, Rangel, Jefferson - we need a special prosecutor to only investigate Congress. Any Republicans get found out - throw them out, and in to jail as well. "HE MAY BE A CROOK, BUT HE'S OUR CROOK" tomjr Sep 1, 2009 to read most of the media, you'd think only Congressmen with an next to their name are guity of everything from adultery to global warming (sorry, climate change)! Sep 1, 2009 the clock is ticking for Cheney and Turd Blossom too. wilson Sep 1, 2009 i love this newspaper why does this crook get away with this does he repecent crooks , stupid uniformed people in his district wilson Califedup Sep 1, 2009 One key question missing in all of this: How did a congressman on a 150k salary amass such wealth? Commentator Sep 1, 2009 Wilson: From your diction and atrocious spelling and punctuation, I would guess that you come from the district that Charlie Rangel "repecents", and that you're one of his "uniformed" constituents? The congressman must pay what he owes to the government and he must be removed from the Office. dan Sep 1, 2009 put this liar in jail now, another waste of our taxpayers dollars, mr president remove this fool, by the way let us check all the financial records of all democrats, make them have it open to american public by sept 5, like they are forcing ins co to do, i bet we would find so much fraud, half of congress would be in jail, hey mr waxman since you like to force private business to jump when you bark, check out the person sitting next to you, hey check out yourself, you democrats are a disgrace to america Patrick Carroll Sep 1, 2009 I'd really like to know how he managed to amass so much wealth. a little bird Sep 1, 2009 We should use this opportunity to push for automatic and regular audits of members of Congress. Members should be legally required to submit to a truly independent audit of their finances every X years. This is something the teaparty people can get behind I think. It will put the fear of the taxpayer into these politicians. HobokenJohn Sep 1, 2009 the real crime is that creep went to the same law school I did..... Mark Buehner Sep 1, 2009 1Ted Kennedy and Obamacare have nothing to do with this. This story wouldn't be a headline under any circumstance. Check that- one circumstance, an R in front of his name instead of a D 2His time isn't running out. Sep 1, 2009 Sadly I don't think Rep Rangel will be held to account because he is too valuable an asset to Rep Pelosi. Rep Pelosi has a chairman of the Ways & Means that can't say no to her on any lev...
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