Congressman Charles Rangel is facing ethics probing and a challenger in the Democratic primary for his long-held seat in New York, but don’t worry about it, because there’s nothing voters love more than ethics violations. “My community [has supported me] beyond my expectations, not that I don’t have enough ego to get by,” Rangel said on teevee. Charming. Yes, Charlie Rangel is now everyone’s favorite underdog in New York, a city famous for its love of underdogs, such as its pinstriped baseball team. You are definitely going to win, Charlie. [The Hill]
TAX IS WHACK
July 7, 2010
{ 42 comments }
Ok. Maybe you gotta live here to understand this. But I love Charly, alright? He’s a veteran; he worked his way up from nothing; he served his country and his community for years and years. No joke. He had a tax error and his landlord cut him some slack on his second rent stabilized apartment. Big effing deal. Now leave my Congressman alone, damnit. He’s old for Chrissakes. Go pick on someone else.
[re=613299]marioninnyc[/re]: Rangel “had a tax error” in the same way OJ had a knife error.
Payback. (Or something)
Isn’t he in the district that kept electing Adam Clayton Powell, even as the House tried to deny him his seat? Doesn’t that tell you he’d certain to serve until his death?
Look, if being under an ehtical cloud (or demonstrated corruption) were a bar to holding office, Jeff Sessions would be a peanut farmer rather than the senior GOP senator on the Judiciary committee, and Alcee Hastings (removed from the bench, for crying out loud) would be selling Florida time shares rather than serving in Congress.
Being under an ehtical cloud (or demonstrated corruption) shouldn’t be a bar to holding office, it should be a requirement. How can you expect ‘em to swim with those sharks if they ain’t got no teef?
I hope Charlie wins, if only because he has one of the most recognizable voices in Congress. Granted it sounds like someone dumped a trashcan full of scrap metal into a cement mixer and turned it on, but he makes it work.
At this point in his career, Charlie could change his name to Adolf Hitler and probably still win by 20 points.
And that drives the wingnuts crazy.
The true term knows no limits.
Charlie’s conk has carried his dead-weight ass all this time, but not even a James Brown resurrection could save him now. His only hope is voter stupidity. And, there is plenty of that in New York.
[re=613309]Berkeley Bear[/re]: Yeah and do you know *who* ran against Adam Clayton Powell and took that seat? That’s some goose for gander shit, right there.
Hey, did you know that Adam Clayton Powell Jr. is primarying Rangel?
Karma’s a bitch.
(AGAIN with the Yankees!!! It must suck to see them win all the time.)
[re=613338]Cmoney[/re]: New York votes Republiklan?
Rangel, here’s your ticket out of this mess: tiny plush Rangel dolls in Army suits.
That is one sincere face. Who could not love this guy?
[re=613322]SayItWithWookies[/re]: He’s a real person? Really?!
Shit, I always assumed “Charlie Rangel” was an oh-so dapper element — alongside “Tevye” and “Harvey Fierstein” — of an elaborate piece of invitingly edgy performance art exploring New York City’s interdependent, and oft-times contentious, “Homie-Homo-Shlomo” socio-cultural triumvirate of raspy rapscallions.
[re=613371]Extemporanus[/re]: Wait…Charlie Rangel is jooish? i thought he was just a seasoned politician. These ethicy thingies are like a wart on his ass.
[re=613371]Extemporanus[/re]: When I worked in NY politics, and saw him, he did have an air of “unreality” about him. Charlie had major presence and charisma, and he was SO shiny! His bling (a lot of it) was blingier, glossy hair, suits fit like a glove, and he was always surrounded by an impressive entourage. I called him “Diamond Charlie.”
(A little piece of me died when he pronounced “hyperbole” as “hyper-bowl” on the House floor.)
One more chin and he gets his own page in the Chinatown phone book.
Look, I’m not passing judgment on the whole “ethical cloud” thing, but it might not be a good sign if Jim Cantore shows up at Charlie’s district office.
speed of lightning, roar of thunder
fighting all who rob or plunder
Underdog.
Underdoooooog!
Alt text win, Mr Stuef.
A mortgage from a politically active lawyer you don’t pay interest on is a contribution, a contribution a Congressman doesn’t report is an ethics violation. Return on real estate is income, income not reported on Form 1040 by the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee is an outrage.
Oh, wait, silly me! Rangel is a Democrat and a pretty dusky one at that, just ignore everything, I’m sure the sheeple won’t notice and the Right won’t nail some ass to this cross one day…
[re=613371]Extemporanus[/re]: And the Pulitzer goes to…
[re=613426]plowman[/re]: As long as they don’t catch him with a dead girl, a live boy or a whore who is changing his diaper full of shit Charlie will be fine. But I’m sure he thanks you for your concern.
[re=613426]plowman[/re]: So, does this make you Obama’s right testicle?
[re=613426]plowman[/re]: a “dusky” one??? Kiss my dusky ass, cracker.
[re=613426]plowman[/re]: In order to get away with graft one must set their sights high. Whats a few tens of thousands compared to Halliburton/Cheney?
Rangle is obviously a low rent player, and they always get caught.
The theft of billions? Never. It is to be admired.
The comments for that article are pretty much the most crazy racist I’ve ever scene.
Charlie will win. Ours is an operative democracy, in theory.
[re=613404]Jim89048[/re]: There’s another running for office on his chin which has it’s own district. It’s going to get complicated.
[re=613467]Brick Oven Bill[/re]: That’s Operative Democracy , you un-American and un-Patriotic filth.
Charlie Rangel is the new Redd Foxx. And, look, you have to look out for yourself first.
[re=613426]plowman[/re]: But if he worshipped Cthulhu with the Rep(tilian) Party, it’d be OK with you, right?
“Not quite as corrupt as the Republicans” might be a good campaign slogan for Charlie…
Oh, and fuck you Charlie, LEGALIZE IT!
[re=613442]honkyman[/re]: Spare me the outrage. Charlie is half Puerto Rican, usually DonQ Cristal.
Do all the Wonketteers have massive hangovers this morning?
[re=613299]marioninnyc[/re]: We must be neighbours he is my congressman too and I adore him, a legend and I believe he has a waffle named for him at Amy-Ruth’s, so that proves how beloved he is.
It’s Captain Dobey
sheeeeeeet.
I know I’m in the minority here, but in all seriousness, go away, Charlie. I respect his service in Korea, his legislative accomplishments and his tough, pull-no-punches approach (boy did he ever nail it when he called Members of Congress to the carpet about their willingness to go to war as long as it didn’t involve their families), but I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’s somewhat of a tax cheat. Just because his missteps pale in comparison to many on the Right (or the fact that Congress is full of tax cheats and other douchebags) doesn’t mean he should get a pass. I know he’s revered in his district, but he exemplifies everything a lot of people hate about Congress. Bottom line, the last thing I want to see is those neanderthals with an “R” next to their name win enough seats to gain a majority, and people like him make it easier for that to happen. Sorry Charlie.
[re=613760]23 Skidoo[/re]: Agree, though he is not necessarily revered in the district (at least not everywhere). I’ve been petitioning for one of his primary opponents (Jonathan Tasini) and people practically rip the petition out of my hands to sign it when they hear he is running against Rangel. A lot of people are pissed at Charlie for his pro-eminent domain position on Columbia University’s expansion into West Harlem, in addition to the tax issue.
For some reason, that picture/story reminds me of:
“I never said all Democrats were saloonkeepers. What I said was that all saloonkeepers are Democrats.”
Ambrose Bierce
I seem to recall that old AB has a lengthy quote about Democratic Conventions being inhabited by the scum of the earth, but I can’t seem to find it.
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