Rangel Pledges Cleanup of Records

Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) says he will hire a forensic accountant to untangle his confusing and error-prone financial records and eventually will make public his tax returns and the accountant’s report.

The announcement yesterday came as Rangel faced new questions about his annual financial disclosure filings, prompting a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to discuss his ethics troubles. Enveloped by three separate ethics inquiries, Rangel is under increasing pressure to step down as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee until the investigation is complete.

Rangel said the accountant will turn over findings to the House Ethics Committee, which is conducting the probe. And he promised to make public tax returns for the last 20 years after the ethics panel has determined whether he violated any rules.

Read more: (Christopher Lee, “Rangel Pledges Cleanup of Records; New Discrepancies Emerge on Privately Sponsored Trips and the Sale of Florida Condo,” The Washington Post, 9/16/08)