Rangel Writes His Own Rules

The ethics and tax complaints keep piling up against U.S. Rep. Charles B. Rangel, who as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee controls writing of the nation’s tax laws. The New York Democrat may write those laws, but he apparently feels no obligation to obey them.

A congressional investigation of Rangel started in July 2008 after it was disclosed he failed to pay taxes on $70,000 in rental income on a villa he owns in the Dominican Republic. Rangel also occupies four rent-controlled apartments in New York City, although he apparently is legally entitled to only one. And, Rangel has used congressional stationery to ask for donations to a center named for him at New York’s City College.

The investigation appears to have a long way to go. The New York Post reported recently that Rangel failed to pay taxes on property he owns in New Jersey. Another congressional investigation is looking at whether Rangel violated rules on gifts from lobbyists when he went on a junket, sponsored partially by Citigroup, to the Caribbean last fall.

In August, Rangel amended his required annual disclosure form, first filed in May 2008. It puts the value of his assets at as much as $2.5 million, double what he originally reported.

According to the amended disclosure, Rangel had forgotten to include on his original disclosure statement as much as $100,000 in rent from a Manhattan building he owned, mutual funds worth as much as $750,000, an IRA worth as much as $500,000 and stock worth as much as $65,000. The disclosure form requires ranges for the worth of assets, not exact values.

The man who is in charge of writing the nation’s tax laws doesn’t pay his federal income or local property taxes. He has such a poor grasp of his own finances that he neglects to list half his assets on a disclosure form intended to keep members of Congress accountable and honest.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has shown no interest in removing Rangel from his post. Why should she? We can already hear the defense of the next tax deadbeat called into court. If Charlie Rangel doesn’t have to pay his taxes, why should I?

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