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politics
Scandals Strike House Democrat... Again, and Again
As if Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) didn't have enough reporters bugging him already, Politico reported late last week that Rangel kicked $80,000 to his son to make cheap websites 
for Rangel's Congressional campaign and National Leadership PAC. The sites have a bare-bones design, are fraught with basic errors ("Sen. Barak Obama"), and should have cost less than $100 to make, according to Politico's resident expert.
The prominent House Democrat has already spent much of the last few months acting like an Old School Republican: embroiled in scandal and attacking the New York Times for unflattering media coverage.
But even Ted Stevens was less brazen than Rangel seems to be.
The Washington Post first revealed in July that Rangel used Congressional letterhead to set up meetings soliciting donations to The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service. The center has been derided as Rangel's "Monument to Me," after the congressman jump-started the project with a $1.9 million earmark.
Among the solicited donors were companies with financial interests under consideration by Rangel's Ways and Means Committee. The committee sets tax policy in legislation, and a seat on the panel is one of the most coveted appointments in Washington.
Late last month, the Times found that Rangel used his chairmanship heft to retain a tax loophole for a $1 million donor to the center, prompting an angry response from Rangel.
Other scandals hitting the Congressman in recent months:
- Four of his Harlem apartments, one used as a campaign office, were each being claimed as a primary residence to receive below-market, rent-controlled rates
- Rangel failed to report $75,000 of income from a Dominican resort (he was later forced to pay $10,800 in back taxes)
- Rangel's Mercedes, with an expired registration and no license plates, has been parked for years in a "coveted section" of a House parking garage near his office, in violation of House rules
- Rangel claimed another "primary residence" in D.C., receiving a tax break for which Members of Congress are ineligible. Tax lawyers confirm it's illegal to claim two primary residences - or, in Rangel's case, five.
- More tax statements and financial disclosure filings so erroneous, Rangel has been forced to call in a forensic accountant
This is your leader of tax policy in Washington, and he's safe for now: The 19-term Congressman keeps his constituents happy, recently winning re-election with 89% of the vote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who controls committee assignments, is unlikely to remove Rangel from his post even after the House Ethics Committee concludes its investigations. Skeptics argue that the committee, scheduled to report by Jan. 3, is a "toothless tiger" unlikely to give Rangel more than a slap on the wrist.
for Rangel's Congressional campaign and National Leadership PAC. The sites have a bare-bones design, are fraught with basic errors ("Sen. Barak Obama"), and should have cost less than $100 to make, according to Politico's resident expert.The prominent House Democrat has already spent much of the last few months acting like an Old School Republican: embroiled in scandal and attacking the New York Times for unflattering media coverage.
But even Ted Stevens was less brazen than Rangel seems to be.
The Washington Post first revealed in July that Rangel used Congressional letterhead to set up meetings soliciting donations to The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service. The center has been derided as Rangel's "Monument to Me," after the congressman jump-started the project with a $1.9 million earmark.
Among the solicited donors were companies with financial interests under consideration by Rangel's Ways and Means Committee. The committee sets tax policy in legislation, and a seat on the panel is one of the most coveted appointments in Washington.
Late last month, the Times found that Rangel used his chairmanship heft to retain a tax loophole for a $1 million donor to the center, prompting an angry response from Rangel.
Other scandals hitting the Congressman in recent months:
- Four of his Harlem apartments, one used as a campaign office, were each being claimed as a primary residence to receive below-market, rent-controlled rates
- Rangel failed to report $75,000 of income from a Dominican resort (he was later forced to pay $10,800 in back taxes)
- Rangel's Mercedes, with an expired registration and no license plates, has been parked for years in a "coveted section" of a House parking garage near his office, in violation of House rules
- Rangel claimed another "primary residence" in D.C., receiving a tax break for which Members of Congress are ineligible. Tax lawyers confirm it's illegal to claim two primary residences - or, in Rangel's case, five.
- More tax statements and financial disclosure filings so erroneous, Rangel has been forced to call in a forensic accountant
This is your leader of tax policy in Washington, and he's safe for now: The 19-term Congressman keeps his constituents happy, recently winning re-election with 89% of the vote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who controls committee assignments, is unlikely to remove Rangel from his post even after the House Ethics Committee concludes its investigations. Skeptics argue that the committee, scheduled to report by Jan. 3, is a "toothless tiger" unlikely to give Rangel more than a slap on the wrist.
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KT
12:22AM 12:22AM Dec 8th 2008
A corrupt politician? No way!
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Rodger
9:55AM 9:55AM Dec 8th 2008
Why should Rangel be treated any differently than any other democRAT. Dodd, Franks and Obama have been given immunity on their roles with Fanny Mae and are allowed to puke their bile about Corporations like GM, Ford and Chrysler. Rangel is just one more of the "Good old boys" in the coral of the democRATs gang of thugs.
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campbellsglass
12:12AM 12:12AM Dec 9th 2008
Are you kidding Pelosi wouldn't remove Rangel. She would give him some kind of promotion if she could. Lying and cheating will get you imortalized as a democrat. (Slick Willy "I did not have sexual relations with that woman")
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Moongrim
10:43AM 10:43AM Dec 13th 2008
For a fair and balanced viewpoint on Republicans and Democrats I refer you to:
http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Republican_Sex_Scandals and http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Special:Search?search=democratic+sex+scandals
You'll find that Democrats are far far less likely to be in ANY kind of a scandal, despite what Faux News would have you believe.
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campbellsglass
12:21AM 12:21AM Dec 9th 2008
Why would Pelosi remove Rangel from his position? She would more likely give Rangel a promotion if she could. Lying and cheating will get you imortalized as a democrat. (Slick Willy "I did not have sexual relations with that woman")
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WILL
11:54AM 11:54AM Dec 9th 2008
IF HE WERE A REPUB THIS WOULD BE FRONT PAGE NEWS
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Tom
1:19PM 1:19PM Dec 9th 2008
Let's face it, Republicans and Democrats have both had scandals. Remember John Boehner passing out checks from lobbyists on the House floor during a vote in 1995? Where is he now? He's minority leader. So, let's just all cool our jets and realize that political corruption is a bipartisan issue.
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ohiobill62
6:00PM 6:00PM Dec 10th 2008
BARF. Rangel, Pelosi, Frank, Dodd, Kennedy, Schumer, all make me wanna barf.
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tommy
10:22PM 10:22PM Dec 11th 2008
I am sick of these thieves. Does it really matter republican or democrat. they are all greedy and could care less about us, the American taxpayers. Am I the only American sick of getting screwed. I wish Washington DC was a toilet because we need to flush the entire Senate, Congress, and of course the Executive Branch. I had no choice like many of us to file for bankruptsy. there was a much older lady there. She needed crutches to help her walk was very hard of hearing. She had been widowed since 1976 and here she is going bankrupt. After, she was crying most likely from what little relief she felt. I assited her to get to the table and to her chair. I was very angry that here is an older American like we all will be someday. She had always paid her taxes and there is no help from these bastards in Washington. They chose to bailout who? all these business that are more than capable to make alot more money than any of us. We are forced to go bankrupt. Why don't we get the bailout and let these business's file for bankruptsy and restructure their company's. I wonder if all of us Americans refused to pay taxes what would Ali Bama and all his thieves do then? Just a thought.
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turner5ofvinla
10:52AM 10:52AM Dec 17th 2008
I agree that we are in need of a house cleaning, starting at the top. The bigger the scandal the higher the rewards. Since in the 50's when they opted to help Pres. Truman(one of the last that did not feel entitled)because he was not a man of wealth. Since that time they all have the mindset of take every penny that they can get their hands on. No other person in this country has the salary, health care,or retirement that thes crooks have voted into law for themselves.What other employee do you know that fixes their salary, health care,and retirement? We the people need to take back control of the government. The Senators criticize the CEO's about how they operate yet they are guilty of the same thing. We need to set term limits and insist tha all government vacancies be filled by election only. The government has grown too fat and greedy. We are a land of operitunity and not a land of entitlements.
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OKORIE OKO
10:24PM 10:24PM Dec 12th 2008
Republicans will dig for dirt any where they can find one to try to fool some of us into thinking the Bush recession is no longer important. And GM could be on the verge of bankcrupcy, but it is more important to worry about a few mispelled words. This is how they got us to this point where everyone is gasping for air and praying that January 20th hurry-up and get here. You cannot believe that a group whose campaign slogan was "Country First" will vote against helping American companies save approximately 3 million American jobs, but will vote in a heart-beat to throw away $13 billion monthly in Iraq war. Sometimes I wonder on whose side today's Republicans are on. Even Reagan knew to sell arms to Iran to finance the Iran-Contra affair. But Bush has to squander the surplus and start borrowing trillions of dollars to enrich his cronies. Now, they want us to worry about $80,000 used to pay for honest jobs done within the United States. When are we going to probe the $3 billion missing in Iraq, or the $5 billion missing in Pakistan, not to talk of the more than $300 billion in cost overrun alone in the Department of Defence?
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MMonty
10:28PM 10:28PM Dec 12th 2008
Republicans will dig for dirt any where they can find one to try to fool some of us into thinking the Bush recession is no longer important. And GM could be on the verge of bankcrupcy, but it is more important to worry about a few mispelled words. This is how they got us to this point where everyone is gasping for air and praying that January 20th hurry-up and get here. You cannot believe that a group whose campaign slogan was "Country First" will vote against helping American companies save approximately 3 million American jobs, but will vote in a heart beat to throw away $13 billion monthly in Iraq war. Sometimes I wonder on whose side todya's Republicans are on. Even Reagan knew to sell arms to Iran to finance the Iran-Contra affair. But Bush has to squander the surplus and start borrowing trillions of dollars to enrich his cronies in a bogus war. Now, they want us to worry about $80,000 used to pay for honest jobs done within the United States. When are we going to probe the $3 billion missing in Iraq, or the $5 billion missing in Pakistan, not to talk of the more than $300 billion in cost overrun alone in the Department of Defence?
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Cynthia
10:26AM 10:26AM Dec 13th 2008
Republican or Democrat, get him out of congress. He's a thief. And why isn't the (useless) Media reporting on this? I suppose if we hold Rangle accountable for his criminal actions we will be called Racist. Is there no end to this misery?
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plankton81
12:29PM 12:29PM Dec 13th 2008
He is black, he can do whatever he wants and get away with it.
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nick
1:28PM 1:28PM Dec 13th 2008
when is Obama boy going to ask this ass hole to resign. Here is the guy who is in charge of tax policy and he is as big a crook as they got, along side REP WATERS, REP RANGLE, SEN DODD, SEN CONRAD, SEN SHUMER TO NAME A FEW.
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DD8V92
1:28PM 1:28PM Dec 13th 2008
The Democratic Culture of Corruption continues on!!!!
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DD8V92
2:01PM 2:01PM Dec 13th 2008
This country is in for a real ride. With Queen Pelosi and our new and upcoming, King Obama: Can't wait to see what is going to happen in the New World Order.
Long Live The Democrats!!!
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ron
10:46AM 10:46AM Dec 14th 2008
Rangel should be indited after Bush, Cheney and Runsfeld are indited for crimes against humanity. Their charges will be easy to prove with all the testimony that has been given to congress. They should be given life in prison or the death penalty.
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Dora
6:49PM 6:49PM Dec 14th 2008
Obama and Blagojevich both exercise wearing black tight sweat pants with two stripes on the side of each leg.
Blagojevich and Top Rahmen/Emmanuel both use foul language to get their message across.
If it talks like a duck and walks like a duck......It is a Duck. No doubt.
Try not to give your fckin, son of Bitchkie game away guys....lol
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v.j.demarco
8:40PM 8:40PM Dec 14th 2008
Please! Why should any reasonably intelligent individual be either surprised or shocked? Government is corruption. Why? Government is power,privilege,and has inside information as to where all spending goes.If anyone is under the assumption that Federal Procurement goes to the best bidder,get over it now. "Whats in it for me" is the criteria for directing government funds.Please notice that when a MAJOR corporation is caught with their hand in the till,very seldom will anyone go to jail,a FINE is paid (with taxpayer dollars) and the case closed.The latest example of ABSOLUTE CORRUPTION TOGETHER WITH A COVER-UP is the situation where two officials working at Fannie May and Gin-May were REWARDED with MILLIONS of dollars as a BONUS for wrecking the companies. Now,that's my idea of Government Corruption at it's best.Are any of our elected leaders concerned? Why should they be,it is not their money,and they are possible upset because they did not think of it. Fellow Americans,get used to it,we haven't seen anything yet. Watch what happens when the "Chicago" team is at bat.
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