Rangel fires back at GOP

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) lashed out at GOP critics Wednesday even as he acknowledged that he owes $5,000 in unpaid taxes because he failed to report rental income on his tax returns.

The powerful chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee held a press conference in which he admitted to mistakes but said he didn’t think they should compel him to give up his committee gavel or force him from office.

{mosads}Rangel stressed that he takes the omissions “seriously” and has no excuse for failing to report nearly 20 years of income on a beach villa he owns in the Dominican Republic.

"I sincerely regret and take personal responsibility for these errors," he said.

He called the omission "irresponsible" on his part and said that it would be corrected in amended filings to both the IRS and the Congress. But he stopped short of admitting any lapse in moral judgment.

“I personally feel that I have done nothing morally wrong,” he said.

Rangel has sent letters to the ethics committee asking it to review the tax and rental income omissions, as well as the two prior ethics charges against him.

House Republicans recently have ratcheted up the political pressure on Rangel. Before the August recess and before the tax issues were reported, Boehner offered a motion to censure Rangel. It failed, with dozens of Republicans either voting with Democrats against the motion, voting present or failing to show up to the vote. Earlier this week, Republicans called on Rangel to give up the chairmanship at least while the ethics panel investigates the tax return omissions, as well as two prior separate ethics charges.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday calling on her to relieve Rangel of his Ways and Means chairmanship while the ethics panel investigates.

The New York Democrat fired back at Boehner, saying the minority leader is embarrassing himself by using the ethics allegations to score political points just months before a major election.

“I have felt embarrassed for my friend John Boehner that he felt that politically he had to do that,” Rangel said. “In this body, the term ‘my friend’ gets thrown around a lot, but John has truly been a friend.

“I am more than confident that he knows there’s no justification for it,” Rangel added.

Rangel also said several lawmakers and congressional staffers stayed at the villa as his guest, but it was unclear whether they paid him or the resort anything. He also refused to say who they were.

Rangel attorney Lanny Davis said guests might have had to pay a discounted rate to the resort and would look into it and provide an answer soon.

Rangel also said he stayed at the villa less than nine days a year and noted it was either rented or sat idle the rest of the time. None of his villa guests had business before the Ways and Means Committee and none of them were financial contributors to his campaign or political action committee, he said.