Congressman Rangel is U.S. Representative from New York, and he serves as the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.  The Ways and Means Committee handles the financial matters of legislation.  That is to say- tax code.  All bills regarding taxation must go through the Ways and Means Committee before they go anywhere else in Congress.  To be on the committee is a pretty big deal, and to be the head of it is an even bigger deal.  Only seven of the 435 U.S. Representatives have offices in the actual Capital building, and the Chairman of the House and Means Committee is one of them (along with The Speaker, Majority and Minority Leaders and Whips, and the Appropriations Committee Chairman). The Ways and Means Committee has an incredibly wide influence, with legislation including welfare reform, Medicare prescription drug benefits, social security reform, tax cuts, and trade agreements (to name a few) going through it.  Needless to say, Charles Rangel is in a very powerful position to shape policy in our country.

So what kind of man is one of our most powerful legislators?  What kind of man is the one occupying the role in charge of introducing bills on financial matters to Congress, to be voted on by the House and Senate and signed into law by the President?  Bills that will affect the wallets of every American as various taxes are imposed?  What kind of man has such enormous power over the finances of America?

Charles Rangel is a serial tax cheat so corrupt he makes Tim Geitner look like a fourth grader caught cheating on a spelling test.

He failed to disclose income from multiple rental properties in New York and the Dominican Republic. He accepted considerable financial gifts, in violation of the House gift ban (say, isn’t that what Duke Cunningham is jail for?).  He kept numerous assets hidden.  He took bribes to cut taxes for companies that didn’t feel like paying them.  When confronted about half a million dollars found in two hidden accounts, he claimed that he forgot about them.

Why in the world is this man in charge of writing and/or introducing tax code to Congress?  Why would anyone want a tax cheat in charge of the committee that introduces legislation to raise your taxes?  What reason does he have to be mindful of the tax burden on Americans?  Of course he doesn’t care if taxes go up- he doesn’t pay them!

Obviously, this man needs to be removed from his position on the Ways and Means Committee, if not from the House of Representatives itself.  That’s a given, right?  Right?

Then why did The House vote today to keep him as the chairman of the Ways and Means committee?

The House voted 246-153 along mostly partisan lines to refer a GOP resolution to remove Rangel to the House ethics committee. The Democratic maneuver rendered the Republican effort meaningless, since Democratic leaders have said they have no intention of removing Rangel while the ethics committee is conducting a long-term investigation of his conduct.

I’m venturing a guess that all of those that voted not to have him removed from his position are hiding some unpaid taxes or other misdeeds themselves.  Why else would they not be outraged by Rangel’s outrageous behavior?