After a 40-year career of liberalism and scandal, Rep. Charlie Rangel, one of the biggest fish in Washington, might finally be getting fried.

As chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the committee that writes the federal tax codes, Rangel failed to report $75,000 he earned in 2007 on a rental property to the IRS. Ironically, he claimed to be ignorant of tax laws. The ethics committee which has ignored Rangel’s tax law peccadillos in the past is now engaged to look into the matter.

“Since that committee was appointed, it has been alleged that Rangel failed to report over $1 million in outside income and $3 million in business transactions,” CBS reported. The Washington Examiner broke it down further for us:

It turns out Rangel had a credit union account worth at least $250,000 and maybe as much as $500,000 -- and didn't report it. He had investment accounts worth about the same, which he also didn't report. Ditto for three pieces of property in New Jersey.

Beyond even that, we've learned that Rangel has failed to report assets totaling more than $1 million on legally required financial disclosure forms going back to at least 2001.

On top of those allegations are ones that"he falsely listed a Washington D.C. residence as his primary address when he was living in rent-stabilized apartment in New York City; used Congressional letterhead for fundraising purposes; and helped a wealthy donor to a school bearing Rangel’s name establish a lucrative tax shelter in Bermuda," according to Fox News.

With an ever increasing list of accusations, Charles Rangel is looking more and more like an arrogant and belligerent tax cheat. According to him, though, he has far beyond the average intelligence. With regards to his financial situation he told reporters: “I recognize that all of you have an obligation to ask questions knowing that there's none of you smart enough to frame it in such a way that I'm going to respond."

What does Mr. Rangel intend to do about all these scandals? Perhaps some of the 119 congressman who received large donations to their campaigns from Rangel could tell you. Most likely to know would be the three of five democrats on the ethics oversight committee who were among those receiving contributions. Only one of the ethics committee members, Peter Welch (D-Vt.), returned the $20,000 donation from Rangel. The others, Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), claim the gifts "in no way interfere with their ability to sit in judgment of their benefactor," as a New York Post article “Ethics for Sale" explained.

So much for Nancy Pelosi’s comment that this will be the most ethical congress ever.

Others, however, believe in different ways and means of handling such scandals. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), and the Washington Post have been calling for Mr. Rangel to step down for almost a year. Since he hasn’t budged yet, others are now pushing Nancy Pelosi to pry him out, but at the moment, reports Politico, "doing nothing creates a lot less trouble for Pelosi than doing anything."

Still, “Rangel’s clock is ticking,” as the Washington Examiner puts it.

Catherine Mullins is a free lance writer and essayist.

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Stophel said:

	- Ooh, he MIGHT lose his chairmanship...but not his seat...and he won't be fined, nor imprisoned (like ANYONE else would be)?
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September 10, 2009
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JohnnyO8142 said:

	... Why have they not arrested this crook. If anyone of us had defraud the IRS we would be facing a long prison term. This creep not only lied about his taxes he has been using his position for personal gain at the expense of the people who put him in office. So much for public trust.
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September 10, 2009
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bajaskp said:

	law abiding citizen When in the hell will Rangel be indicted and sent to jail like any other tax cheat and income tax evader????????????????
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September 11, 2009 | url
Votes: +2