Rep. Mark Udall says Rangel should step down

[rayofreason]

Source: The Hill

Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said Sunday that House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) should step down from his chairmanship while an ethics investigation takes place.

Questioned by host Tom Brokaw on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’, Udall initially cited the ethics process and demurred.

When pressed, though, he said that it would be “helpful” if Rangel stepped down.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rep.-mark-udall-says-rangel-should-step-down-2008-09-28.html

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. I happen to agree with this.

:hide:

[harmonicon]

2. you won't find any argument here

I don't see a problem with him stepping down from a committee, so long as the leaders agree to reinstate him on certain conditions, once this all blows over. From what I've heard, it doesn't seem like even the worst-case scenario for what he did is all that bad, and easily remedied.

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. I couldn't agree more. I love old Charlie, but this needs to be put to rest,

and he should step down for the good of the party, at this very delicate time.

[VeraAgnes]

7. I do not think he should step down.

it opens the door to have the repugs force us to eat crow when sometimes...shit happens. I see this Rangel issue just another life blooper, nothing more. No harm/no fowl, easy to fix.

let's be realistic.

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. I am being realistic. I'm foreseeing 2 min. ads trying to connect Obama

to Rangel. I have no doubt this can be fixed, but I feel it needs to be done while Charlie is not in a leadership position.

[VeraAgnes]

9. Nah.........and Obama can take care of that unrelated accusation

if, and if it occurs. Leave Rangel in his leadership. He is only human, like the rest of us.

[karynnj]

13. It is better he does it before they call for it and make it an issue

Also consider that Trent Lott had to step down from the Majority Leader position because of his tasteless remarks. This is different, but we would be calling Republicans to step down while under ethics investigation.

[BlueInPhilly]

18. Agree!

Dems should hold themselves to a higher standard. We promised to clean up the house - where better to start than in our own?

For the good of the party and the country, I think he should step down.

[Tarheel_Dem]

20. This is precisely what I was trying to say. The American people threw out

the corrupt bastards in '06 because we promised a higher standard, and like you, I don't know what's so hard to understand about that. I think VeraAgnes just wants to be adversarial. This argument that "they do it too" is just not good enough. I maintain that Charlie should step down until this situation is resolved satisfactorily.

[Doctor_J]

4. I am OK with this, but think maybe the Western and purple-state Dems

feel like they should separate from Rangel. This could well be a politically-motivated investigation so that Brokaw doesn't have spend the whole time discussing the Titanic-like campaign of his hero McSame.

[nolabels]

5. For making a mistake on his tax return?

What in the hell do they smoke back in them cloak rooms anyway?

The republicans have outright criminals in their ranks, but M$M courtesy NBC find need to question people in the democratic ranks about their members. Why oh, why do people even watch the trash :argh:

[stray cat]

6. More going on than a misprint on a tax return....

[Freddie Stubbs]

17. Ignoring corruption in their ranks is one of the reasons the GOP lost Congress in 2006

I'm not saying that Rangel is corrupt, but it may be a good idea for him to step aside until the investigation runs its course so as not to give an ammunition to Republicans.

[nolabels]

19. I was under the impression that it was just one or two year tax accounting mistake

a few thousand dollars or so. It's sad, and even looks to be a kind of long term setup to compromise this guy. It is, what it is though. If he was just a ordinary Joe he would end up paying taxes the stuff. But the ordinary Joe wouldn't have got a deal like this and it was obvious set up because of Rangel's position in government even early on. He just got sucked in and didn't let go or get out like he should have. This a pattern of many years. It was even kind of dumb, because he knew he was cheating and could of transferred it to somebody else's name in the near family or something a while back and it would of went away.



TAX CONTROVERSY
Rangel Says He Regrets 'Errors,' Rejects Calls to Cede Panel Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091003462.html

[iandhr]

10. YES

I live in Ragel's district. Since there is a ethics investigation he needs to step down for the good of the party.

[VeraAgnes]

11. Clarify your choice.

What ethical act has he committed? I know there were clerical errors on his taxes.....so, that's understandable with a convoluted tax rule book that equates the height of the Washington Monument.

[The Sushi Bandit]

12. AGREE!!

THE HAWAIIAN WORD "PONO" = DO THE RIGHT THING

[Kahuna]

14. I think it's time for Rangel to retire. He's been in D.C. waaay too long. nt

[ShortnFiery]

15. Yes, It's time for Rangel to retire. PLEASE!?! eom

[clixtox]

16. First off, no Rethuglican would recuse now...

the decision is up to Rep. Rangel alone.

The supposed transgression is so minor that the brouhaha is pathetic.

I am wondering why a Democrat would make such a suggestion...

It's not like some lobbyists built his vacation home!