Rangel Should be Removed

Process to Remove Rangel from Ways and Means Chairmanship Begun in House

Rep. John Carter Demands Action

Washington, DC

House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) would be removed as Chairman of the powerful House committee pending completion of the ongoing investigation into Rangel's multiple ethics violation charges and failure to pay income taxes, if the House approves a Resolution introduced today by House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter (R-TX).

Carter, who has demanded action on the allegations from both Rangel and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi since last year, introduced a privileged resolution on the issue today. Under House rules, a privileged resolution must be brought to the floor for consideration by the full House within no more than two legislative days. With the House scheduled to come back in session Monday, the measure must be considered no later than Tuesday.

"It brings me no joy to introduce this legislation concerning a colleague," says Carter. "But this body has a high duty and obligation to conduct itself in a way that restores public confidence in the integrity of this institution. When charges of this magnitude are pending against a Member, the House must respond in a way that achieves that goal. If Mr. Rangel is cleared of wrongdoing, I will be the first to congratulate him back to the Chairmanship. But we must show we are serious about enforcing the ethics rules of this House, instead of using stall tactics to thwart the process."

Resolution
Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

WHEREAS, the gentleman from New York, Charles B. Rangel, the fourth most senior Member of the House of Representatives, serves as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a position of considerable power and influence within the House of Representatives; and,

WHEREAS, clause one of Rule XXXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives provides, "A Member, Delegate, Resident Commission, officer, or employee of the House shall conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House;

WHEREAS, The New York Times reported on September 5, 2008, that, "Representative Charles B. Rangel has earned more than $75,000 in rental income from a villa he has owned in the Dominican Republic since 1988, but never reported it on his federal or state tax returns, according to a lawyer for the congressman and documents from the resort."; and,

WHEREAS, in an article in the September 5, 2008 edition of The New York Times, his attorney confirmed that Representative Rangel's annual congressional Financial Disclosure statements failed to disclose the rental income from his resort villa; and,

WHEREAS, The New York Times reported on September 6, 2008 that, "Representative Charles B. Rangel paid no interest for more than a decade on a mortgage extended to him to buy a villa at a beachfront resort in the Dominican Republic, according to Mr. Rangel's lawyer and records from the resort. The loan, which was extended to Mr. Rangel in 1988, was originally to be paid back over seven years at a rate of 10.5 percent. But within two years, interest on the loan was waived for Mr. Rangel."; and,

WHEREAS, clause 5(a)(2)(A) of House Rule 25 defines a gift as, "...a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary value" and prohibits the acceptance of such gifts except in limited circumstances; and,

WHEREAS, Representative Rangel's acceptance of thousands of dollars in interest forgiveness is a violation of the House gift ban; and,

WHEREAS, Representative Rangel's failure to disclose the aforementioned gifts and income on his Personal Financial Disclosure Statements violates House rules and federal law; and,

WHEREAS, Representative Rangel's failure to report the aforementioned gifts and income on federal, state and local tax returns is a violation of the tax laws of those jurisdictions; and,

WHEREAS, the Committee on Ways and Means, which Representative Rangel chairs, has jurisdiction over the United States Tax Code; and,

WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct first announced on July 31, 2008 that it was reviewing allegations of misconduct by Representative Rangel; and,

WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct announced on September 24, 2008 that it had established an investigative subcommittee in the matter of Representative Rangel; and,

WHEREAS, The New York Times reported on November 24, 2008 that, "Congressional records and interviews show that Mr. Rangel was instrumental in preserving a lucrative tax loophole that benefited [Nabors Industries] an oil drilling company last year, while at the same time its chief executive was pledging $1 million to the Charles B. Rangel School of Public Service at C.C.N.Y."; and,

WHEREAS, the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct announced on December 9, 2008 that it had expanded the jurisdiction of the aforementioned investigative subcommittee to examine the allegations related to Representative Rangel's involvement with Nabors Industries; and,

WHEREAS, Roll Call newspaper reported on September 15, 2008 that, "The inconsistent reports are among myriad errors, discrepancies and unexplained entries on Rangel's personal disclosure forms over the past eight years that make it almost impossible to get a clear picture of the Ways and Means chairman's financial dealings."; and,

WHEREAS, Roll Call newspaper reported on September 16, 2008 that, "Rangel said he would hire a 'forensic accountant' to review all of these disclosure forms going back 20 years, and to provide a report to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which Rangel said will then make public."; and,

WHEREAS, nearly five months after Representative Rangel pledged to provide a public forensic accounting of his tax and federal financial disclosure records, he has failed to do so; and,

WHEREAS, an editorial in The New York Times on September 15, 2008 stated, "Mounting embarrassment for taxpayers and Congress makes it imperative that Representative Charles Rangel step aside as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee while his ethical problems are investigated."; and,

WHEREAS, on May 24, 2006, then Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi cited "high ethical standards" in a letter to Representative William Jefferson asking that he resign his seat on the Committee on Ways and Means, in light of ongoing investigations into alleged financial impropriety by Representative Jefferson,

WHEREAS,

by the conduct giving rise to this resolution, Representative Charles B. Rangel has dishonored himself and brought discredit to the House; and,

Therefore, be it RESOLVED,
upon adoption of this resolution and pending completion of the investigation into his affairs by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, Representative Rangel is hereby removed as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

www.carter.house.gov/