RANGEL AS HISTORY – AT 8:18 A.M. ET:  Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the committee that writes tax legislation, may soon be Mr. Former Tossed-Out Chairman.  The New York Times has the unemployment news:

WASHINGTON — Caught in a swirl of ethics inquiries, Representative Charles B. Rangel, the dean of the New York Congressional delegation, appeared to be losing his grip on his powerful post as chairman of the tax-policy-writing Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday as Republicans planned to force a vote to remove him from his position.

The House ethics committee last week admonished Mr. Rangel, an ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for violating Congressional gift rules by accepting corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean in 2007 and 2008.

The ethics panel is still investigating more serious accusations regarding Mr. Rangel’s fund-raising, his failure to pay federal taxes on rental income from a villa he owns in the Dominican Republic and his use of four rent-stabilized apartments provided by a Manhattan real estate developer.

And with Republicans preparing to force a vote Wednesday seeking to oust Mr. Rangel from his chairmanship, support among his fellow Democrats appeared to be crumbling. He huddled in a meeting with senior party leaders, including Ms. Pelosi, and officials said Democrats were urging him to step down, at least temporarily.

COMMENT:  The story notes that Rangel insists he isn't stepping down, but that's what they always say.  A number of stories this morning report that enthusiasm for among among fellow Democrats is worse than limited.  They're in a tough enough position before the November elections, and they don't need a scandal surrounding the guy in charge of our tax laws in the House.

I'd imagine a new chairman is being prepared.  Oh well, he'll still be a liberal.

March 3, 2010