Rangle steps down as head of Ways and Means Committee

[jimmy olsen]

Excellent news.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6220KT20100303?type=politicsNews

Rangel to step down from key post in Congress: report
Thomas Ferraro
WASHINGTON
Tue Mar 2, 2010 11:20pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New York Democrat Charles Rangel, admonished last week by an ethics panel, will give up the powerful chairmanship of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee in the House of Representatives, NBC reported on Tuesday.

Three Democratic leadership aides told Reuters they were unable to confirm or comment on the NBC report. A fourth indicated that no immediate announcements were planned.

NBC quoted a Democratic House member as saying the party did not have the votes to save Rangel, who has faces calls from Republicans and some Democrats to step down as chairman.

Representative Sander Levin of Michigan or Representative Pete Stark of California may temporarily take over as chairman, NBC said, citing congressional leadership sources.

NBC quoted unidentified sources as saying Rangel has been encouraged to step aside before the House votes on a Republican measure to strip him of his chairmanship, which may happen as early as Wednesday,

The Washington news outlet Politico said Rangel would keep his chairman's gavel "for now."

It said Rangel emerged from a closed-door meeting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office Tuesday evening to declare he is still committee chairman.

Asked whether he would be chairman tomorrow, Rangel, 79, said: "I can't make all those promises at my age."

Pelosi initially declined to comment when asked whether Rangel was resigning the chairmanship.

But later Pelosi was quoted by The Hill, a publication that covers Congress, as saying, "I guess he is still chair of Ways and Means."

The House ethics committee publicly admonished Rangel last week for taking corporate-paid trips to the Caribbean in violation of the chamber's gift rules.

Rangel noted that while the committee found that two of his aides knew that the trips were paid for by corporations, there was no indication that he himself was aware of it.

The ethics panel, composed of three Democrats and three Republicans, is still looking into other matters involving Rangel, including his use of a rent-controlled apartment and his fundraising for the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service in New York.

[Jaron]

Tim, is this excellent news just because he is a Democrat? I don't think you've ever received any retirement or resignation of any Republican as good news.

[Razgovory]

Tim, is this excellent news just because he is a Democrat? I don't think you've ever received any retirement or resignation of any Republican as good news.

Well duh.

[Caliga]

Rangle

[Habbaku]

Wrangel

[Ed Anger]

Rangle

Heh.

[Admiral Yi]

The Bangles

[KRonn]

A lot more appears to have come out on Rangel lately, so this is the least he should do, step down until an investigation is complete.

[Ed Anger]

Wrangel

I like Kolchak the Night Stalker better.

[Jaron]

I think Wrangel was Kleves name in WoW.