Chip Somodevilla/Getty-Rep. Rangel at the Democratic National Convention in Denver
The House Republican leadership is calling on Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem to step down as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee amid a series of investigations into his personal finances.
The leadership released a letter this afternoon to Speaker Pelosi, urging her to “insist” that Mr. Rangel resign his post while the inquiries are ongoing. “Given Chairman Rangel’s continuing ethical lapses, he cannot effectively carry out his duties as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee,” the Republicans write.
What do you think? Should Charlie be forced to step down from his position as Mr. Chairman due to his recent problems?
*Updates:
Charlie owes about $5,000 to Uncle Same [AP]
Charlie should step down [LAT]
D. Bell
September 10, 2008
Hey everyone,
It’s the comments cop again. Please refrain from making derogatory remarks towards individuals in the comments section. You can review the policy on commenting on this blog in the FAQ section under guidelines (click the tab at the top of the page.) Thanks.
anonymous
September 10, 2008
D, his legal counsel informed him he was in violation of law with his rent stab apartment functioning as an office. Against his words, 3 days later he announced giving it up. Now there was no trial, however his actions illustrate a uncovered abuse. His no longer using the letter head to pimp companies for money illustrates uncovered abuse. Now he’s going to pay taxes on the income he’s not reported for 10+ years.
None of these matters involve “trials” and you don’t need a “trial” and a guilty verdict to recognize clear abuse. By your standard President Richard Nixon is innocent since there was no trial and he was never proven Guilty. Do you see how stupid your stream of thought is in the real world?
Few Politicians are ever proven “guilty” of crimes – however that in and of itself does not make them innocent.
38+ years, a clear crook to those with eyes, and you’re so foolish you want to defend him in the face of clear abuse. it is ignorance like yours that keeps this dinosaur in office. pathetic.
D
September 10, 2008
Political theatrics. Until he’s proven of being guilty of breaking the law, he is innocent.
American Girl
September 10, 2008
Wait, I thought the question asked if Rangel should step down. he Runaway seems to have ran away on a tangent that still didn’t address the question. No people have “unity”. Look at the civil wars in Africa and Haiti. Look at the different factions in Euro countries like Ireland. I think blacks are making strides and it you call it being sell out well I guess we are just going to have to sell out rather than shuffling along to the theme of the “Good Times” song or being mad all the damn time because “the man” shafted us…again. Change your mindset and change your life.
Runaway Slave Genius
September 10, 2008
Black/Pan Africans are disunited so have no POWER. Charlie was a sellout! Most Black politicians are sellouts so the community doesn’t improve! Gentrification is 2nd to last step to Black death (right before police brutality and/or AIDS, etc). The entire world is a Western/Imperial playground, but due to miseducation, Blacks won’t work together!! Thus no UNITY no PROGRESS! The only thing that differs between the ole’ days of slavery and today is that the slaves have cell phones and nice sneakers in the rich countries. In poorer Black lands the slaves are still starving! Obama won’t make a difference, he’s part of the MATRIX, we need real leadership (of any color). RIP Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and the more wise MLK (even Princess Diana did her thing for Blacks). I’m out, deep in the Matrix, but they don’t even know I’m for true freedom. From: The Runaway Slave Genius
anonymous
September 9, 2008
Rangel’s a crook & has used Harlem to benefit himself entirely. Talented politicians rise (Obama), crooks, actual thieves stay in the same place and continue to rob you, Rangel’s robbed for years.
The man has been in office for 38 years, he’s what? 78 years old or so? He thinks he’s a King, most Harlemites have never known anyone other than Rangel, have never really had a chance to vote for anyone other than Rangel.
Rangel only cares about himself, let’s be honest. He’s had his 4 rent stabilized apts at Lenox Terrace for decades and in the process, over that time, he denied the public a rent stabilized apt back when Lenox Terrace still Offered them. The “Monument To Me” is a joke and of course he violated rules sticking up, holding companies to donate to his personal pet project and using his position/letterhead, this weekend’s disclosure that he did not report income on his Dominican Rental is only another in a long list of Rangel Scandal.
Rangel relies on the collective ignorance of the voter base to withstand clear crime. His crimes go back, far back before Freedom National Bank, those who were here at the time know he screwed over Adam Clayton Powell in his very first election.
It’s not complex, it’s actually simply. Show me a politician who’s been in the same office, the same seat for 38 years and I will show you a crime boss crook. Why did Carl McCall run for Gov and not Rangel? Rangel’s not smart enough, credible enough to appeal to a voter base beyond the collective ignorance that embodies the 15th district, Harlem. He could not get votes and win outside of Harlem.
If Rangel had talent, was a net positive as a politician, he would have became a Senator long ago. He has not, he lacks the skill set, he can’t dupe a broader voter base. If Rangel had talent in his role, he would have become a Senator, the Governor, or at least ran for the offices, he hasn’t – remember, a crook stays in the same place and robs your pocket.
The undereducated and underinformed people of Harlem keep him there. It’s fundamentally DUMB to have anyone in a singular public office for 38 years people, give me a break.
Furthermore it’s well known he’s not a very nice person, he’s the last of the “old style politican crime bosses”.
For you Black-centric people, keep in mind he’s not delivered on any of his promises and goals of his 1970 election campaign and Black people are worse off in Harlem today, than they were when Rangel took office. Rangel’s done a couple of good things (Harlem Hospital funding) but come on, even a blind squirrel can find a nut every now and then and a broken clock is right 2 times a day – after 38 years he’s supposed to have a few accomplishments, however in the aggregate? Rangel’s a clown, a criminal, and knows he can smile, grin, and fool the ignorant collective voter base that is the 15th district, Harlem.
If you get to know Rangel, you’ll learn he is one arrogant F___k of a man. I saw him say on TV last month he was “entitled to his 4 rent stablized apartments”. Of course this ran against the law, and against the law for a congressman, but he said it and thinks it. 3 days later after saying that and being advised by lawyers he cannot used a rent stab apartment as his HQ office, he announced he is giving that up. However it took that, being told by lawyers that what he was doing was illegal to make him give up his Lenox Terrace apt he uses as an office.
Rangel on his own, his personal ethics? he had now problem with using this Rent Stab apt as an office and indeed said he was entitled to it. That’s Rangel for ya. He thinks he’s Fidel Castro, Papa Doc, etc.entitled to make the rules, laws, and be in office for life.
It’s going to take about 20 years for people to look back and see how poorly they were served over the 4 Plus decades he will have been in office.
Why would anyone want a Congressman, the same Congressman for 38+ years? 38+ years in the same position? This flies in the face of the obvious. Talent rises, it grows, it becomes a Senator, a Governor, talent does not stay in the same position, it’s that simple. If you want to defend Rangel, defend and “square” a politician being in the same position for 38+ years and never running for Senator, never running for Governor, just sitting in the same spot for lifetime. Do you want a Congressman incapable of becoming a Senator or Governor?
He’s a really rat of a man. Enough said.
holymoly
September 9, 2008
r u crazy? you’re going to follow the lead of republicans on this issue? what have republicans done for you lately? they want that chairmanship and will get it any way they can.
justme
September 9, 2008
It’s because he’s been in his position so long that he feels he’s above the law. Whether good he’s done for harlem is no longer the case and it’s unfortunate that residents of Harlem vote him back in and then complain when issues in their neighborhood go unnoticed
anon
September 9, 2008
just because he “worked to (sic) hard and long to gain that position” does not mean he is entitled to maintain it regardless of ethical transgressions
joy
September 9, 2008
yes, he should step down! he is a crook, like all the other crooked failed Black leaders!
anon
September 9, 2008
hell yeah he should step down
narmer
September 9, 2008
NO! he should not step down, he has worked to hard and long to gain that position. [img]http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/ibrad/erked.gif[/img]