Yesterday, the Washington Post broke a blockbuster. A memo was leaked detailing all the current House Ethics Committee investigations. And guess what, most of them are Democrats. In fact, the only Republican mentioned in it was Sam Graves, who has been cleared by the Committee.
So what did we learn? The Post says, regarding the inquiry of lawmakers tied to PMA, a now defunct lobbying shop, that “the inquiry was broader than initially believed”. And we learned that there is yet another investigation of Charlie Rangel:
Ethics committee staff members have interviewed House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) about one element of the complex investigation of his personal finances, as well as the lawmaker’s top aide and his son. Rangel said he spoke with ethics committee staff members regarding a conference that he and four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended last November in St. Martin. The trip initially was said to be sponsored by a nonprofit foundation run by a newspaper. But the three-day event, at a luxury resort, was underwritten by major corporations such as Citigroup, Pfizer and AT&T. Rules passed in 2007, shortly after Democrats reclaimed the majority following a wave of corruption cases against Republicans, bar private companies from paying for congressional travel.
This is in addition to all the other problems that Rangel has, including his not disclosing bank accounts, breaking New York City laws about rent control, and his holding hostage Puerto Rican grandmas for his rum buddies.
David Corn at Politics Daily has a smart take that Rangel will ultimately become a symbol of a corrupt Democratic Congress and Nancy Pelosi’s broken promise to drain the swamp.
Why might the Post article and this widening investigation of ties between lawmakers and lobbyists — neither of which relate to Rangel — matter for him? Though the probe has not yet found any of these House members guilty of wrongdoing, this episode will place pressure on Pelosi and her colleagues to show they’re not a party of sleaze. Consequently, Rangel is more vulnerable to the Republican’s campaign against him. If the PMA investigation heats up, he would make a great sacrificial lamb. And if the GOP continues to pursue Rangel, his party, burdened by this other ethics investigation, will have a tougher time protecting him.
Dan Spencer
bs
Caleb Howe
Vladimir
Is the left turning against Charlie?
bk Friday, October 30th at 11:26AM EDT (link)David Corn is the hard left guy from The Nation right? The libs must be thing Rangel’s baggage isn’t worth carrying any more.
Of course if any Republican criticizes him it’s still racist.
I guess when you are a distraction....
makemyday Friday, October 30th at 11:44AM EDT (link)to everything else they would like to cram down our throats you have to go. Can’t spend that valuable time in front of the camera trying to sell Health Care, Cap & Trade, Net-Neutrality, FOX is bad, etc. etc. etc. when you are answering ethics questions.
When all else fails…….. Shoot!
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” –American author Mark Twain (1835-1910)
“We should never despair, our Situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new Exertions and proportion our Efforts to the exigency of the times.” –George Washington, letter to Philip Schuyler, 1777
The only way Pelosi and gang could get rid of Rangel.....
USNJIMRET Friday, October 30th at 11:57AM EDT (link)would be to have the members, all of them, of the racist as hell Congressional Black Caucus declare him unfit for his position.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the Speakers Office, just to hear what kind of deals are being offered/demanded for the CBC to turn on one of their own.
Because I don’t believe for a second that Rangel or his fellow CBC members believe he did anything ‘wrong’, other then getting caught.
Lastly, what dirt might Rangel have on Pelosi and gang, that he has threatened to use if his dirt results in a ‘problem’??
I'm not convinced that Pelosi...
RedBeard Friday, October 30th at 12:00PM EDT (link)…is intelligent enough to know how to cut her losses regarding Rangel, etc.
Standard-bearer for grouchy curmudgeonry since, oh, 1975 or so.
Is there ever any point
Erick Brockway Friday, October 30th at 12:01PM EDT (link)…when the Justice Dept can get involved without someone crying “separation of powers”?
Note to lefties;
“Don’t be afraid to see what you see.”
Ronald Reagan
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Its time to drain the swamp...
Rightshift Friday, October 30th at 1:44PM EDT (link)… and get rid of Nancy Pelosi, et. al….
“Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim - when he defends himself - as a criminal.” — Frederic Bastiat
The Collectivist Conundrum
lukematthews Friday, October 30th at 2:38PM EDT (link)Nancy dare not throw Charlie under the bus because the CBC will back him until the sun no longer rises. He’s their consummate hero and symbol of the longevity and sustainability of black nationalist power. Nancy also dare not shield him because that ’swamp draining’ thing is a proverbial millstone around every single Democratic office holder going into some challenging elections next year.
That is the fundamental problem with collectivist political theory. You must back your coalition partners even to the detriment of your own cause. That means the bad apples can go a long way rotting out the rest of your produce. Nancy’s hoping it will go away. She’s running full bore away from the issue just like she did the CIA thing. If the press gives her a pass, it will work. However, if the issue keeps turning up like a bad penny, it will give them all fits and starts throughout the coming year.
I love watching stupidity fail.
Unfortunately
anotherindyfilmguy Friday, October 30th at 2:45PM EDT (link)most of these representatives would probably try to run their offices from prison cells rather than ever resign.
Somehow I just don’t see the Dems going after these guys. I can see them going after the lone Republican (who was cleared by it) instead and calling it “justice” way before they take down any of their own.
On the other hand I’d rather be wrong and watch them take down some of their own most corrupt and powerful folks since the voters can’t seem to do…
Ultimately the courts will do what Nancy won't.
primafacie Friday, October 30th at 3:07PM EDT (link)The King has no clothes and Rangell is corrupt. Seems simple enough. But the House agonizes when it comes to punishing their own, CBC notwithstanding.
So this will play until the indictments are handed down. Then Charlie will be toast. Look how long it’s taking to get rid of Jefferson. I think the clocks must run a lot slower in the hallowed halls because all this should have been done with already.
Speaker Pelosi is conceding what little cred she has if she continues to diminish the importance of Rangell’s malfeasance and it will cost her. She’s already a weak Speaker in need of replacement and this isn’t helping her cause at all.
Nancy will never go after Rangel.
joayn Saturday, October 31st at 12:04AM EDT (link)The Democrats are the best at denying the big, fat rotting carcus of corruption, shackled to Rangel’s leg, a huge, bloated ball of guilt and vile, being dragged into the house chamber day in and day out. That is one area that they really excell - how proud they must be…
When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
Ronald Reagan
Dem's credo: "Let's not and say we did"
6eorge Jetson Saturday, October 31st at 2:02AM EDT (link)Why would Pelosi et. al. take on the painful task of draining the swamp when they can just mouth the words?
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