Charles Rangel gives up gavel
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POLITICO 44
Neither power nor popularity could save Charles Rangel from himself.
The affable, quotable and often jovial New York Democrat stepped down from his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee Wednesday because his fellow Democrats feared that ethics investigations into Rangel’s personal finances, travel, living arrangements and use of his office posed a grave threat to their chances in November’s elections.
Rangel says he's stepping aside only temporarily, but he officially resigned the post in a letter submitted to the House Wednesday morning. Technically, he could be restored by a future House vote, but that's a political long shot given that he was forced aside by ethics troubles.
It was not immediately clear who would take the committee’s reins in Rangel’s absence, with some insiders predicting it would be the next man in line, California’s Pete Stark, and others predicting it would be Sander Levin of Michigan. Under House rules, Stark is chairman unless Democrats act affirmatively to put someone else in his place, according to a House GOP aide familiar with House operations.
A race to succeed Rangel in the next Congress — if Democrats hold onto their majority — could be a wild donnybrook involving several potential candidates, including Stark, Levin, Jim McDermott of Washington, John Lewis of Georgia and Richard Neal of Massachusetts. Xavier Becerra of California, vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus, could also be a factor, as he has won a party leadership election before.
Rangel chose to step down, he said, because the matter “is bringing so much attention to the press and [I want] ... to avoid my colleagues having to defend me during their elections.”
Those electoral pressures had put Rangel in a bind: Either resign or face being forced out by a Republican-written resolution that was quickly gaining Democratic support, both in public and in private.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) statement on Rangel Wednesday morning had a certain tone of finality to it.
“Chairman Charlie Rangel has informed me of his request for a leave of absence from his duties and responsibilities as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. I will honor his request,” Pelosi said. "I commend Chairman Rangel for his decades of leadership on jobs, health care and the most significant economic issues of the day."
The catalyst for Rangel’s removal came last week, when the ethics committee ruled that he had broken House gift rules by accepting corporate-sponsored travel to the Caribbean.
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DFutureIsNow Party: Liberal
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Mar. 3, 2010 - 8:58 AM EST
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Read all 435 comments in our forumIt's always good to drain the swamp.
Temporarily?
You mean, he thinks he's coming back? He thinks he deserves to stay on?
CULTURE OF CORRUPTION (D).
LEAVE, CHARLIE. You're a corrupt Democrat criminal and a dying breed of politician that we're no longer tolerating.
Well, that most of us aren't tolerating.
Democrats, of course, tolerate this when it's their party doing it. Pelosi had "no comment."
About dam time! The guy is a thief and he is in charge of writing our tax laws? I can't get over how mama Pelosi stands up for this crook.
""Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel is expected to announce he will temporarily give up his gavel this morning, according to a Democratic aide.""
Way to "Man Up" Rangel, you are such a Clown. Do you want another member of the CBC to keep your seat warm for you??
It's always good to drain the swamp.
And who keeps electing this corrupticrat inflence peddler? Republicans?
Nancy Pelosi had "no comment."
Temporarily!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This guy should be thrown out of congress.........then again he is a democrat...african-american one at that. No rules for them. They, by liberal laws, can only be voted out. But after they redistrict their populations that is impossible. Wonder why we are going down the tubes.
Charlie Rangel and his elitist, crooked buddies deserve more than to merely lose their gavels. They can lie, steal and cheat with impunity for years. When things get too hot for them they walk away with Cadillac health benefits, fat pensions and maybe even a “consulting” job. If there were any justice in this world there would be scores of congressmen and senators wearing stripes and numbers, not pushing legislation down the throats of their constituents and bankrupting the country.
As a left wing “liberal / progressive” Democrat, I welcome this as good news.all
So it looks like a definite MAYBE. "NO COMMENT" says the speaker. "It's only temporary" says the chairman.
For the moment, MAYBE we will have one less Congressman "on the take" in a powerful leadership position.
November 2, 2010 is coming.
Say it in song:
Glenn Miller-"There'll Be Some Changes Made"
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
/>"Temporarily"? He should be permanently stripped of his gavel and his seat in the House.
ABOUT TIME...NOW FOR THE REST OF THEM.....
He should resign - or - be forced to resign - he's actions are a disgrace - regardless of one's party affiliation.
next
Finally the start of cleaning up the swamp, and it is a big swamp. Others to follow, we hope.
Finally some good news from congress. Hopefully Rangel will make his absence permanent. There are hundreds of other crooks in the house and the senate. Don't some of theother self-righteous hypocritical sleazebags deserve a turn at the Trough of Power?
Sorry that I happen to be stating fact, Remember Clinton with cash in his freezer! He stayed in office for how long?, WHY. Wake up and stop with the race card. Black or white or asian, a crook is a crook and should be thrown out.
I'm guessing there are a whole lot more of these crooks that we can get out of office in Washington. Let's keep looking.
Not only that he will NOT run for his seat in Congress but doesn't want it known for now.
Time to wait until after the massive BIG BAD health bill.
One by one, we will finally rid Washington of all the crooks!