Davis Calls on Rangel to Give up Tax Chairmanship after Ethics Finding

Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) is the first Democratic lawmaker on the Ways and Means Committee and first member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to call on Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) to give up his chairmanship in the wake of an ethics committee admonishment.

Davis is running to replace Republican Bob Riley as governor of Alabama and appears to be an odds-on favorite to win the Democratic primary. But he faces a tough general-election contest.

At a time when Americans’ opinions of Congress are at or near an all-time low, Davis is distancing himself from congressional colleagues and any perception of unethical activities.

“Rep. Rangel has had a long and distinguished career and I respect his leadership, but I believe Congress needs to do more to restore the public trust,” Davis said in a statement to The Hill. “An ethics committee admonishment is a serious event, and Rep. Rangel should do the right thing and step aside as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.”

Read more: (Susan Crabtree, “Davis Calls on Rangel to Give up Tax Chairmanship after Ethics Finding,” The Hill, 03/02/10)