Tag: Rangel

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Accountability insider corruption

Washington On Display

Our rule-makers can’t follow their own rules. President Obama sets a new standard, forbidding lobbyists from being hired on in the White House. Then he promptly gives himself a waiver because, lo and behold, he just needs a certain lobbyist.

When politicians stand on principle, it’s usually so that principle can’t get up.

We have a Treasury secretary, one Timothy Geitner, who didn’t pay his taxes . . . well, not until he was picked to be Treasury secretary. A Washington Post headline called Geitner “too big to fail”; the U.S. Senate confirmed him.

Then there’s Roland Burris, the new U.S. Senator from Illinois. He now admits that he didn’t tell “the whole truth” when he testified before the Illinois House panel trying to impeach then-Governor Rod Blagojevich. Of course, Burris continues to deny what he is admitting.

Burris had been asked directly about being blagojeviched to raise money to get his seat in the U.S. Senate. But Burris said nothing at the time about being asked by the governor’s brother to raise funds. Burris also conveniently forgot to mention that he, in fact, had tried to raise money for the governor. Unsuccessfully.

Burris needs to go, and he’s far from alone. Think of Charles Rangel’s wrangled perks, his tax problems, his network of rent-controlled apartments.

Instead, all these masterminds will stay in power, allegedly to “fix” our economy.

But they’re the ones in need of “fixing.”

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Common Sense

Remember Rangel

Have you ever tried to build a multi-million dollar monument to yourself?

No? Well, I guess you’re not New York Congressman Charley Rangel. He’s been trying to fund the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York.

Monday, July 28, 2008

So far he’s nabbed a $1.9 million earmark to help put his name in lights, not to mention two HUD Department grants totaling another $700,000 from taxpayers.

Rangel’s goal is to raise $30 million for his Center. So, now he’s raising more money from special interests. Including those interests that have business before the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which Rangel chairs.

While watchdog groups are questioning the ethics of this fundraising in general, Rangel’s use of official congressional letterhead to solicit contributions for the Center seems without question to be a violation of House rules.

Recently, Rangel ran into more trouble in New York City, when it came to light that the congressman has four rent-stabilized apartments. Once again, government regulation benefits the powerful.

Did I mention that this same congressman uses taxpayer money – $777 a month – to lease a Cadillac? Rangel says he wants his constituents to think their congressman is “somebody.”

Give him his due, though. After 38 years in Congress, Mr. Rangel has firmly established himself as a somebody – somebody responsible for helping achieve the lowest congressional approval ratings in history.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.