Culture of Corruption

Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY), Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee since 2006 (this committee writes our tax laws):

• Failed to report $75,000 in income (and thus underpaid his taxes) from a rental property in the Dominican Republic.
  

• Had at least 28 omissions on his financial disclosure forms (required by law for public officials) and failed to account for at least $239,000 in assets.

• Leased 4 rent-controlled apartments (at a low price) from a major real estate developer

• Used his official Congressional stationery to solicit donations for an educational center at the City University of New York that will be named for him.

• Is accused of receiving donations from those who are affected by his committee, including $1 million from one executive who claims that had nothing to do with Rangel's helping to preserve a lucrative off-shore tax loophole.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee since 2006:

• Received favorable (below market) rates and saved $75,000 on two mortgages in 2003 through a VIP program at Countrywide. Countrywide (now owned by Bank of America) has been the focus of allegations that it gave favorable loan terms to lawmakers.

• Received $165,400 in contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Banking Committee is responsible for overseeing them) -- he received the most contributions of anyone in the House and the Senate (in second place was Barack Obama with $126,349).

• Is being scrutinized for a deal on a house in Ireland, where he declares a value of less than $250,000 for a property that some say would sell for at least $1 Million.
  

Current members of Congress (Republicans and Democrats) have received a total of $4.8 million from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 1989 through 2008.

Representative Charles Murtha (D-Pennsylvania) is under investigation by federal prosecutors for possibly receiving bogus campaign contributions via PMA Group, a prominent lobbying organization headed by a former staffer of Mr. Murtha. Mr. Murtha is the chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee.

• In the first half of 2007, the PMA Group and its clients contributed more than $500,000 to three congressmen, including Mr. Murtha.
  

• These lawmakers earmarked more than $100 million in defense spending for PMA clients in the appropriations bills for 2008 (according to a study by Taxpayers for Common Sense, which tracks earmarks).

These issues are investigated by House and Senate Committees, who rarely take action. Neither committee holds public hearings, and they rarely discipline their members.

Just because these are mostly Democrats does not mean that Republicans don't have their issues as well. Former Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) was convicted last fall by a federal jury of five counts of making false statements on his Senate personal financial disclosure forms. He was defeated in his bid for re-election.