Posted on 09/25/2008 3:42:26 AM PDT by Born Conservative
With embattled House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel scheduled to host a fundraiser for him today, U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski is sticking by his longtime friend.
He won’t cancel the fundraiser or return $21,000 in campaign contributions from political action committees controlled by the Democratic New York City congressman. Mr. Rangel is facing questions about whether he violated state and federal laws by failing to report rental income on a Dominican Republic villa on state and federal tax returns.
“I go with the people that brung me, and Charlie’s a friend of mine, and Charlie’s done nothing wrong, and I’m not going to embarrass Charlie in any way for having been a good friend,” Mr. Kanjorski said in an interview.
Since 2006, U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, also a Democrat, has received $21,000 in contributions from Mr. Rangel’s committees, according to federal records.
Mr. Kanjorski and Mr. Carney voted Thursday to table a Republican resolution that called for a House ethics investigation of Mr. Rangel.
Mr. Carney and Mr. Kanjorski said they did that because the House Ethics Committee, at Mr. Rangel’s request, is already conducting an investigation.
“This (resolution) is John Boehner trying to score some political points,” Mr. Carney said, referring to the House Republican leader, its sponsor. He said the resolution is designed to divert attention from a federal investigation of Republican Alaska Rep. Don Young and Republican Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, whose federal trial on corruption charges began Monday.
“Charlie Rangel is not charged with anything,” Mr. Carney said.
If the Ethics Committee finds wrongdoing, “We’ll give it (the Rangel contributions) back,” he said.
The New York Times reported Sept. 5 that Mr. Rangel has earned more than $75,000 in rental income from the villa since 1988, but never reported the income on state and federal tax returns. His lawyer told the Times that Mr. Rangel would file amended tax returns, but might not owe any federal taxes because of depreciation on the property, which was an investment.
Mr. Kanjorski likened his support for Mr. Rangel to his support for former local Rep. Joseph McDade, a Republican who was investigated for years and acquitted of bribery charges.
“If Charlie wanted to cheat, he could have safety deposit boxes filled with diamonds in Switzerland,” Mr. Kanjorski said.
Republican challenger Lou Barletta said Mr. Kanjorski should cancel the fundraiser and refund the contributions.
“If anyone thinks Paul Kanjorski is going to all of a sudden start acting ethically, they should not hold their breath,” he said.
The Kanjorski campaign has made an issue of a $1,000 donation to Mr. Barletta’s 2002 campaign for Congress by one of Mr. Stevens’ committees and a $5,000 donation then by one of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s committees. Mr. DeLay is facing criminal charges.
Of Mr. Barletta’s criticisms, Mr. Kanjorski said, “I know all of these people who crave power, who have never exercised power, they’re so fast to jump at what I think are very superficial things. And they reflect their immaturity to serve.”
His campaign also issued a statement quoting him as critical of Mr. Barletta for accepting $1,000 contributions from Paul and Neal DeAngelo, who had roles in a Hazleton drug ring in the 1980s but now own a company that employes 1,000 people. Mr. Barletta has honored the company and said the men made a mistake in their youth. He explains the Stevens and Delay contributions by saying neither donated to his current campaign.
Mr. Carney questioned whether his Republican challenger, Chris Hackett, would return a $1,000 July 16 contribution from the Midnight Sun PAC, a leadership committee controlled by Mr. Young, according to the committee’s records.
Mark Harris, a spokesman for Mr. Hackett, said he returned Mr. Young’s contribution the next day.
“Carney’s conversion into a defender of Washington’s corruption culture is breathtaking,” Mr. Harris said in a statement.
Pelosi: What happen?
Rangel: Somebody set up us the audit.
Kanjorski: We get summons.
Pelosi: What!
Kanjorski: Computer screen turn on.
Rangel: It’s you!!
IRS: How are you gentlemen!!
IRS: All your records are belong to us.
It’s always comforting when a Dimrat publically shoots himself in the foot and appears completely oblivious that he’s done so.......
Brung?
He’s from NE PA, and it’s a common usage.
This guy is as guilty as rangel... birds of a feather etc.
LLS
Thanks...I appreciated your posting that...what a great day to start the day, that made me LOL...:)
Rangel’s pricey real estate deals and political/financial connections to several tax-exempt entities are a huge red flag. The NY Post reports at least three tax-exempt entities connected to Rangel‘s finances:
(1) The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service (Rangel co-opted $2 million via Capitol Hill allocations, plus another $700,000 from Dept of HUD),
(2) The NY Carib News Foundation (organized financing for Rangel’s island-hopping luxe Caribbean trips),
(3) The Ann S. Kheel Charitable Trust ---aids disadvantaged neighborhoods (gave $440,000 to The Charles B. Rangel Center) the largest single donation in the charity's 4-year history. Theodore Kheel, Esq, VP of Grupo Punta Cana Operating Company, (mortgage holder on Rangel’s luxury villa), donated $17,000 to Rangel's congressional campaigns and $52,000 to a Rangel-run political action committee since 1990, federal filings show. (Ann Kheel is his late wife).
The "tax-exempt Carib News Foundation" subsidized Rangel’s trips to luxury island resorts---perfect places to hide money from the taxman.
The published list of known money-laundering havens includes Panama, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands, Dominica, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Panama, the Philippines, St. Kitts, Israel, and the Grenadines. Suspected tax havens include Cyprus, Gibraltar, Monaco, and Antigua.
Suspected tax fraud and tax law violations can be reported to IRS TOLL-FREE 1-800-829-0433 (You may remain anonymous).
Hasting a convicted felon and anti White Obomba Orama supporter. The words of a real fool who should be in federal prison.
NSNR,
REID: "Those guys better remember who kept them out of prison, Nancy"
PELOSI " Harry, I hope your earmark is big enough so that poor
Charlie won't have to use his own money to pay his taxes."
REID "Don't worry Nancy, it's big enough. And with the rest,
we can all buy a villa here........thanks to US taxpayers."
It's what I call the "Natural Law of Circles". Eventually,this guy is going to end up biting his own ars.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.