Big-shot Democratic congressman Charles Rangel claims he just forgot to report some income:
"Representative Charles B. Rangel has earned more than $75,000 in rental income from a villa he has owned in the Dominican Republic since 1988, but never reported it on his federal or state tax returns, according to a lawyer for the congressman and documents from the resort. Mr. Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which writes the federal tax code, bought the beachfront villa at the Punta Cana Yacht Club and has received twice-yearly payments from the resort, which rents the property for $500 or more per night. Records from the development, now called the Punta Cana Resort and Club, indicated that Mr. Rangel’s rental profits varied from year to year, from $2,700 in 2004 to $7,600 in 1994. A lawyer for Mr. Rangel, Lanny Davis, said on Thursday that the congressman would most likely file amendments to his tax returns for the years in question."
So--the guy who sits on the committee which writes the tax code just "forgot" he had to report that income, hmmm? Sure--likely story. Even more importantly, this is the second story today about Democrats and corruption (the first is the continuing story of the Democratic mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, and his ouster). So don't let Democrats get away with the campaign point that they are somehow champions of ethics, while the Republicans are awash in corruption. As today shows, it just ain't true.
