What about Rangel?

What about Rangel?

Chicago Tribune: The House of Representatives wasted no time in lowering the boom this week on the rude and inexcusable conduct of Rep. Joe Wilson, Republican of South Carolina. Wilson yelled out “you lie” while President Barack Obama was delivering his health-care reform appeal to a joint session of Congress last week.

It took just six days for the House to approve a formal rebuke of Wilson.

OK. So far, so good.

Now, what about the questionable conduct of some other members of the House?

Take Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rangel has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for 10 months.

Granted, this is more complicated than one lout shouting “You lie.”

But Rangel’s alleged conduct could be far more damaging to the reputation of the House. He faces allegations that he:

U Controlled four rent-stabilized New York City apartments, one of which he illegally turned into a campaign office.

USolicited donations on congressional letterhead for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York and worked to preserve a tax break for an oil drilling company after its top executive donated $1 million to the center.

UFailed to report to the IRS and pay taxes on $75,000 in rental income from a beachfront property in the Dominican Republic.

UViolated House disclosure rules by failing to report the full details of some privately sponsored trips.

There’s more. Last month, Rangel amended his House financial disclosure forms to report profits from the sale of a Harlem townhouse, thousands of dollars in mutual fund dividends and two checking accounts valued at $250,000 to $500,000 each.

Rangel has displayed an appalling lack of candor and care in his financial affairs, yet he remains chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.