Rangel Remains in Post

House Republicans failed in their attempt to oust Congressman Charlie Rangel as chairman of the main tax-writing committee. Rangel is under investigation by the ethics committee for not disclosing all of his personal assets and income. Republicans say that by not forcing Rangel out of his committee post, Democrats are reneging on a campaign promise to clean up the House.

A powerful Democratic congressman, under scrutiny for ethics violations, came into the spotlight again on Wednesday as Republicans tried to force Rangel to step down from his committee chairmanship. New York’s Charles Rangel is under investigation by the House ethics panel and has already conceded that he did not pay taxes on thousands and thousands of dollars in rental income.

Rep. John Carter (R-TX) led the effort to strip Rangel of his post. Speaking on the House floor, Carter detailed pages and pages of allegations against Rangel: that Rangel hadn’t disclosed a checking account and an investment account he holds, each worth at least a quarter of a million dollars; that he has benefitted from special mortgage terms that amount to a gift; that he failed to disclose gifts on his personal disclosure statement and thus violated House rule banning gifts more than $100.

Read more: (Andrea Seabrook, “GOP Fails to Oust Rangel Over Ethics Flap,” National Public Radio, 10/07/09)