Rangel's 'Drip, Drip, Drip' Approach to Damage Control
Rep. Charlie Rangel's ethics woes have sorely tested the public relations ethos of his lawyer, veteran Washington spinmeister Lanny Davis.
After serving as a top spokesman in the Clinton White House on all the hot crises - including Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky and the campaign finance investigations - Davis went on to write a guidebook for pols threatened with scandal called "Truth to Tell: Tell It Early, Tell It All, Tell It Yourself."
But in the case of Rangel, you might think the PR mantra is "Truth to Squeeze: Drip, Drip, Drip." Hardly a tell-it-early, tell-it-all type of approach to scandal, the House Ways and Means Committee chairman's sordid tale of ethical delimmas has come out in drips and drabs.
First came word of his rent-stablized apartments in Harlem. Then the story of his "Monument to Me," as his critics called it, in which he used his official congressional stationery to raise money for an educational center named after - who else? - himself. That was followed by revelations that he failed to disclose rental income on his condo in the Dominican Republic resort of Punta Cana. And last weekend Rangel acknowledged he failed to disclose $70,000 he made off the sale of a condo in Florida, and - woops - failed to disclose the sale of a home here in Washington.
Davis was in New York yesterday and, therefore, unavailable for comment. But Josh Galper, a law partner of Davis, told us, "You can call it drips and drabs but Charlie Rangel is doing something unprecedented: he is going completely transparent."
Galper pointed to Rangel's personal request for a House ethics committee investigation of his troubles and hiring a forensic accountant to review his House financial disclosure forms and personal income taxes going back 20 years.
At least Rangel is using part of Davis's model of crisis communications. He's telling it. Just not early - and so far, apparently, not all.
By
Eric Pianin
|
September 17, 2008; 3:55 PM ET
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Posted by: WashingtonDame | September 17, 2008 4:56 PM | Report abuse
The fact that Pelosi has not kicked Rangel to the curb yet -- and apparently has no intention to do so any time soon -- shows how much the Democrats lied about how they were going to change Congress when they got a majority. Nothing has changed at all.
Posted by: WashingtonDame | September 17, 2008 4:57 PM | Report abuse
When will the people of this country wake up and realize that the people who are in charge of our government are all corrupt and until they do,and term limits are set for these criminals,things cannot change.We have continued to reelect the same people over and over,expecting change.What we need is to change from a corrupt congress to an honest one.To do that we must vote out ALL the ones who have been there and have failed to do their jobs.
Posted by: Nannie Turner | September 18, 2008 10:28 AM | Report abuse
he called for the house to investigate because he knows his fellow leeches will whitewash this or him real good. what do you expect from an acolyte of old bonershrinker
Posted by: dick cabesa | September 18, 2008 10:28 AM | Report abuse
Problem as I see it is that the tax codes are so complex the people writing them don't understand them. (OK he understood them and knowingly evaded taxes) But, he is a long time incumbent and a Democrat therefore no harsh action will be taken. After this blows over and a new congress is seated in January he will retain his chairmanship and it will be business as usual.
Posted by: Jim Ret | September 18, 2008 11:39 AM | Report abuse
And this 2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll says it all. You Won't Believe These Results!
Results are instant.
Posted by: brandon | September 18, 2008 12:52 PM | Report abuse
Hey I do not see any reporting on all the Republican supporting CEO's that made millions while their companies had to be bailed out by the US taxpayers.
Leave Charlie alone - he'll be fine. We love him in New York..
Posted by: Wendy NYC | September 18, 2008 3:31 PM | Report abuse
one set of rules for the democraps and another for the honest, decent Republicans.
Democraps.......go kill some more babies.
Posted by: tunaman | September 18, 2008 4:56 PM | Report abuse
WHAT ELSE IS NEW? THEY ALL CHEAT AND STEAL! SOME ARE SIMPLY REVEALED SOONER THAN OTHERS, BUT THEY MANAGES TO PUT THE FIX IN AND ENSURE A CLASSIC CYA WITH THE AID OF THEIR LEADERSHIP. NO WONDER RANK AND FILE AMERICANS DISTRUST AND HATE THEM.
Posted by: Lew | September 19, 2008 12:39 PM | Report abuse
It is ridiculous to believe that the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (responsible for all matters of taxation and the Tax Code) could accidentally overlook all of these income tax reporting violations. A staff lackey fell on a sword for him, but Rangel signs the forms and surely is mature enough to understand that you read what you are asked to sign BEFORE you sign it. He knows how fat his cash and investment accounts are and the size of his positive cash flows. It is understandable to overlook a minor, insignificant detail; but to not notice a failure to report income of hundreds of thousands is absolutely implausible. If his statements were true, then he would be (and may in fact really be) utterly unqualified to balance his checkbook, much less chair Ways and Means. He is quick to raise our taxes - so long as he doesn't have to pay.
Posted by: Art Andy in Tulsa | September 19, 2008 12:41 PM | Report abuse
Charlie Rangel has represented his district very well. Let him pay his back taxes and then leave him alone to do his job.
No, I don't live in Harlem; I live in Arizona and I am a registered Republican (not voting that way this time around however)
Posted by: Karolyn | September 19, 2008 3:59 PM | Report abuse
..."Charlie Ranger has been a "DAMN GOOD United States Congressman/Statesman, he just made mistakes on his income tax returnes, "Hmmm..."I guess that never happens, "OF COURSE IT DOES" and republicans trying to make a big deal out of nothing and I hope Charlie's Angels come to his aid!
..."You've done a DAMN GOOD JOB Mr. Ranger I wish we had you!
...."Givem hell....sir...
Sincerely, Voter/Vet USAF...
Posted by: Tommy Birchfield/Master's Program, ETSU/Voter/VET USAF | September 19, 2008 4:18 PM | Report abuse
Talk about drip, drip, drip. The latest drip from Charlie is that it's not his fault, it's the fault of others.
For more on this drip, drip, drip drivel, see Writing Frontier's "It's always the little things" at http://writingfrontier.com/2008/09/12/the-little-things/
Posted by: Writing Frontier | September 19, 2008 9:46 PM | Report abuse
Rangel Adopting Transparency:
If true that Representative Charles Rangel is converting to Transparency
he will be the first in the history of elected representatives to Congress
to do so. The current overstaying Congressional elect are attempting to
become apprised what Transparency means, as well as its affects.
One legal source has indicated that Transparency may negatively affect
the smooth machinery of, as usual, government. A number of Liberal
members of Congress are pressing Rangel to resign from Congress
or nullify his conversion to Transparency. Meanwhile, Representative
Rangel is believed to have voiced: 'That doing the Right thing is leaving
me out with the Left.' What would you advise Congressman Rangel to
do?
Posted by: 3rd-Party Advocate | September 22, 2008 1:17 PM | Report abuse
I AM NOT A CROOK!
Posted by: RICHARD NIXON (R) | September 23, 2008 9:11 PM | Report abuse
I AM NOT A CROOK!
Posted by: RICHARD NIXON (R) | September 23, 2008 9:12 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
The fact that Pelosi has kicked Rangel to the curb yet -- and apparently has not intention to do so any time soon -- shows how much the Democrats lied about how they were going to change Congress when they got a majority. Nothing has changed at all.