If He Won’t Leave, Throw Him Out (Also, A Challenge from Maxine Waters!).
If you have any interest at all in ending corruption in Congress, this piece by Rep. John Carter (R-TX) is worth your time.
One month, 12 months and 15 months.
That’s how long it has been since we learned of Congressman Charlie Rangel’s (D-NY) most recent failure to disclose financial assets, since the New York Times first called for him to step down as Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, and since the House Ethics Committee began investigating Rangel’s previous violations, respectively.
Yet through all that — despite all the revelations of not disclosing income and not paying taxes — Mr. Rangel still runs the committee that oversees the IRS and enforces the tax laws for all Americans, except for himself.
To allow Mr. Rangel to continue to serve as Chairman is the same as allowing a confessed bank robber to serve as Chairman of the Banking Committee during the trial.
Actually, it’s worse than that. A bank robber can’t make rules that make it easier for him to rob banks. Leaving Rangel where is he is more like having Bernie Madoff running the committee and looking the other way as he tries to “reform” the system.
Rangel should have been given an ultimatum to quit the committee or be kicked off by the Democratic leadership a year ago. That would have taken a smidgen of political courage from Speaker Pelosi, though, and I don’t imagine she’s going to grow a spine about this when it might cost her a little bit of her political power.
UPDATE: And now a word in defense of Rangel from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Moronistan) (via Dan Collins on Twitter):
“I want to tell you, there are many members who, if you go back over all of their records, over all of the years, you’re going to find that there were disclosures that were not made,” Waters said during an appearance on MSNBC Wednesday morning.
Ohhhh, I see. It’s the old “We’re all crooks, so if you fire one of us, you have to fire all of us” ploy.
Very well, Ms. Waters. We accept your challenge.
UPDATE 2: House Democrats back corruption on a party-line vote. Well done, guys! Well, except for the two of you who voted to oust Rangel. You’re going to get a stern talking-to from Nancy Pelosi, yessir!
Other Posts of Interest:
- I’m All for Upholding the Constitution, but Only When It’s Stuff That’s Really in the Constitution
- If Your Dad is a Democratic Congressman, Magic Just Happens!
- Congressional Bailout Corruption Strikes Again
Category: Our New Democratic Overlords, Progressives
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[...] Lookie here what I found over at Sundries Shack!! My friend, Jimmie Bise was show casing a member of congress calling out the corrupt Charlie [...]
[...] If He Won’t Leave, Throw Charlie Rangel Out! Leaving Rangel where is he is more like having Bernie Madoff running the committee and looking the other way as he tries to “reform” the system. [...]