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Sept. 7, 2009 The Charles Rangel ethics investigation may be coming to a grand crescendo soon. Some interesting details have been revealed by the local papers, including his failure to accurately report assets, income, business transactions and so on in public disclosure forms. In some ways, this new disclosure implies further tax mistakes for the powerful Chairman of the House tax writing Committee. It seems he claimed a house as his primary residence, not the multi-unit rent controlled mega-apartment complex that rent control law stipulates be the primary living quarters of the lessee but about which many public questions have already been raised. This begs the question of why no one is protesting the creation of a four apartment McMansion using a patronage slanted housing scheme. Certainly, if prosperous people can be harassed for grand houses, something the political opposition malign as McMansions, what is to be said about rich and powerful politicians stretching the limits of poverty laws and amassing grand poverty law palaces. Further, it should also be noted that there is a tax break for a primary residence. So in addition to the possibility he did not report three million dollars in outside business transactions and more than a million dollars in outside income he earned on his tax filings, Charles Rangel may have falsely claimed a home owner deduction he might not have legally been entitled to. Additionally, this raises the question of where the IRS has been. Ordinary citizens run the risk of a tax audit and serious penalties for reporting failures. Was Charles Rangel ever audited? Why not? Will any ensuing penalties be like those levied on ordinary tax cheats or will he receive the kid glove treatment? Were his public filings ever checked for compliance and accuracy? Further, is the likely non-audit common to all politicians or just powerful Committee Chairmen? The Punta Cana cabana tax errors he has already admitted to go back many, many years. Where were the audits? The ordinary tax reviews that everybody else has to suffer through. This also begs the issue of what good are laws requiring proper reporting of financial dealings and assets when there is no penalty? Indeed, there is the political profit of crying poverty and pretending to be poor when, in fact, the system is being milked no end. Perhaps this country needs a special tax on rich politicians to make them poor like everyone else so as to level the playing field. Indeed, the prospect has been raised of a Ted Stevens like saga where Congressman Rangel is going to have to be prosecuted and convicted in order to face the tender mercies of the justice system and his politically ingrained ingratiation terminated with what should be justifiable prejudice. With party loyalty a paramount factor and his having friends in high places looking out for him, this is going to be an uphill battle reminiscent of the great political struggles of our time. Theoretically, it should be possible even in the face of dominant patronage practices. Reports that Mr. Rangel has made many monetary contributions to other politicians including members of the ethics committee supposed to be investigating his problems only raise more serious and challenging questions about how above board things have been and are going to be in the future. It appears Nancy Pelosi, the even more powerful Speaker of the House, is being tied to Mr. Rangel in an effort to make political hay. This raises the possibility of a Republican campaign against Democratic corruption with Chairman Rangel as the campaign goat. Will the party leadership allow this to become a major issue or will they settle for some honesty to end the genuine issue of honestly and accurately paying taxes owed to the federal, state and local governments. Ironically, wording has been slipped into new tax legislation requiring stricter handling of inadvertent errors. Can you believe Charles Rangel is in charge of the Committee. Not only is there no rest for the weary, there appears to be no mercy on overburdened and long suffering tax payers other than the politically connected. Remember Barry Barack Hussein Obama's money is safe and Charles Rangel's money is even safer. As for Nancy Pelosi, since she, too, is a millionaire, the question is show me the money. The public should be told all taxes and penalties have been paid and all filings are accurate and up to date. Indeed, it just to show you how unfair all this is, Chairman Rangel may be getting a free, first class defense and there is a report two of his aides have had questions raised about their required filings. Where will all the dubious questions and serious doubts end?
When will this happen? The required tax filings of big name politicians should not be the stuff of public melodrama.
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