Charlie Rangel Temporarily Gives up Chairmanship of Tax Committee
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) will temporarily relinquish his chairmanship of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, he announced today.
In light of the fact that "my chairmanship is bringing so much attention to the press and in order to avoid my colleagues from having to defend me during their elections, I have this morning sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi asking her to grant me a leave of absence until such time as the ethics committee completes its work," Rangel said this morning.
As the subject of multiple ethics investigations, Rangel's leadership of the powerful tax committee has come into question from both Republicans and members of his own party.
The House ethics committee recently admonished Rangel for accepting corporate money for trips to Caribbean conferences in violation of House rules, though the committee said they could not determine whether Rangel actually knew who was paying for the trip. The committee is continuing an investigation into Rangel's use of official stationary to fundraise for a college center in his name, as well as his late disclosure of previously unreported assets.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has in recent days resisted saying whether she wanted Rangel to step down, but she huddled with him and others last night to discuss a way forward.
Rangel said today, "From the very very beginning I have offered this [option] to Speaker Pelosi."
Pelosi has emphasized her record of transparency as House leader and her focus on ethics reform. While the bipartisan House ethics committee has so far only given Rangel a light slap on the wrist for his Carribean trip, the committee's record of decisions has held members of congress to a lower standard than other ethics groups.
Had Rangel not given up his chairmanship, Republicans were planning to force a House floor vote on the matter. With a number of Democrats unwilling to stand behind Rangel in an election year, it is possible Rangel would have lost his post.
Update: The Washington Post reports Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) will take up the chairmanship on an interim basis. He is second in seniority in the committee but said he would give up the gavel after November's midterm elections.
Stark, 78, is battling an undisclosed illness and has had his own share of ethics problems. The ethics committee recently cleared Stark of wrongdoing in an investigation into his attempt to get an unwarranted tax break for his Maryland home. He has also made a number of controversial comments over the years, shutting down a town hall attendee with remarks about "wasting urine" on them, and referring to Blue Dog Democrats as "brain dead."