Ethics-challenged Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel of New York Tuesday denied reports he would step down, at least temporarily, from chairmanship of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee until he deals with ethics questions over his acceptance of corporate-paid junkets, failures to disclose assets and problems with the IRS.
Rangel, after a private meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said “no” when reporters asked if he would step down as chairman. When asked if he was still chairman, Rangel shot back: “You bet your life.”
Some sources, however, still say Rangel will take a “leave of absence” from the job.
Pelosi offered no public comment following the meeting but Democratic insiders say the Speaker “urged” Rangel to consider stepping down “for the good of the party” and said he should step aside at least temporarily. Rangel refused.
Pelosi has come under fire from Republicans and some Democrats for her steadfast refusal to force Rangel out of the chairmanship. The Speaker, who promised to “drain the swamp” of Congressional corruption after Democrats took control of Congress in the 2006 elections, has drawn criticism for not taking actions against other Democrats for ethics violations.
Earlier on Tuesday, The Associated Press quoted a “Democratic source” who said Rangel would probably give up his chair “temporarily” at Pelosi’s request.
But Rangel held fast in his private meeting with Pelosi.
Even so, Rangel’s support is slipping with fellow Democrats. On Tuesday, Rep. Arthur Davis of Alabama, a member of Rangel’s committee and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, called on Rangel to resign his chairmanship.
Davis is not running for re-election, choosing instead to seek the governorship in Alabama. He has tried to distance himself from his ethically-challenged Congressional colleagues.
Related articles
- House Democrats to Meet on Rangel, Van Hollen Says (Correct) (businessweek.com)
- Under Fire, Rangel Appears to Be Losing Grip of Committee (nytimes.com)
- Rangel denies he’s giving up tax writing chair (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- NBC: Rangel to step down as Ways and Means chairman; Update: Rangel refuses to quit; Update: Taking “leave of absence” (hotair.com)
- Will Rangel Have to Give Up the Gavel? (swampland.blogs.time.com)
- Rangel to keep gavel in most ethical Congress evah (hotair.com)
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5 thoughts on “Rangel: ‘Hell no, I won’t go’”
No, no, no, sad to say it is numb nuts mis-dis-informed America who forgets that an unlawful order may be disobeyed without repercussion, As per founding principles.
Correct Mr Nemo ?
The military code of justice states, refusal to carry out wrongful duty and obedience to orders personally contemptible to the individual or group must be accompanied by proof that such orders in and of themselves, were, and are, unlawful according to the Constitution from wherewith the code springs, and proves such orders unlawful before a military tribunal.
Somewhere in America “Oath” must be upheld. I suggest we move D.C. to the badlands of the Dakotas to freeze these warm blooded lizards and scaly backed fools.
Reptiles, remember, need heat to operate. No BTU’S and maybe some semblance of sanity and fair play may come to the fore..
So we are now living in a Post Racial America? Regretably the double standard remanins.
What people don’t realize is that when Mr. Smith goes to Washington from Mayberry, USA as a junior Congressmen they aren’t squat in the pecking order. They go through an indoctrination period where they learn in short order they best play ball with the status quo if they hope to get on any of the Congressional “committees”. It’s these committees with many term incumbents that set the policies of this nation; ie., which legislation is going to make to the floor for a vote. That’s why so much citizen friendly legislation simply dies in “committee”.
Most if not all of members of these committees are many term, terminally corrupt incumbents. So now we have “Charlie” telling “We the People” along with his colleagues he isn’t stepping down so evidently we’re stuck with this human dogsh*t on our national shoes until when I say…?!
The whole system is both broken and corrupt to the core. This is where out of control lobbying and PAC’s have gotten us. Voting by citizens has simply become a feelgood excercise to indemnify preselected shills that the shadowy oligarchs have chosen and proffered to us via their MSM franchises. Not satisifed with even this amount of power they’ve mangaged to even corrupt the very machines and mechanisms for voting in this country. We’ve become a “banana Republic” and don’t seem to realize it.
Our entire political process has become a caricature of what it was once meant to be. : |
Carl Nemo **==
I wouldn’t go either. After all, I’d have the protection of some of the most powerful folks in the nation watching my back, standing guard, willing to lie for me, and hiding my indescretions to the fullest extent of the laws…that they legistated to protect their kind.
Sooooooo, screw everybody – I ain’t leaving!
If not for privilege, then why does one aspire to high authority and/or high income. Based on the many examples I’ve seen through the decades, I’d conclude nothing could be more American.
Let’s not kid ourselves. We Americans are who we are… and we’re not exactly decent people. The American way – public and private – rewards the unscrupulous of character. I don’t see this truly changing… ever. No matter how many profile personalities draw the ire of media.
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