Rangel Kept in Post by Pelosi Amid Ethics Probe

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has told fellow Democrats that embattled Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel can keep his chairmanship despite proliferating scandals involving his personal finances.

The man charged with writing the nation’s tax laws is now under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for illegally maintaining three rent-subsidized apartments in New York, for using his congressional stationery to solicit funds for a policy center bearing his name, and for claiming three homes as primary residences. Mr. Rangel also faces complaints of failing to pay property taxes, failing to report $75,000 of rental income and failing to declare more than $650,000 in assets on his 2007 financial disclosure forms.

The Buffalo News, New York Post and Washington Post have all called on Mr. Rangel to resign his chairmanship. But Speaker Pelosi says she will consider a demotion only if the Ethics Committee finds a violation of House Rules or prosecutors file charges against Mr. Rangel.

Read more: (John Fund, “Rangel IQ Test (Not a Memory Test),” Wall Street Journal, 9/04/09)