The R's Have It

And as it pertains to the Dan Rostenkowski of 2010, the rats are gathering at the S.S. Rangel's lifeboats:

Democratic Representative Walt Minnick thinks embattled New York Congressman Charlie Rangel should resign from the U.S. House, but Idaho’s other member of Congress won’t say.  Representative Mike Simpson, who represents the eastern portion of the state, won’t comment on Rangel’s alleged misdeeds because it’s possible he could be called on to review the case.  Rangel is accused of, among other things, using his official letterhead to improperly raise funds for a private educational center named after himself at the City College of New York, as well as failure to declare large amounts of personal assets on House disclosure forms.

Minnick told IdahoReporter.com that initially he wanted the voters of Rangel’s New York district to decide his fate in November, but that he has since changed his mind and feels that Rangel should step down.  ”I think it was appropriate for Rep. Rangel to step down from his post as a committee chair pending the investigation, but I always prefer to let voters decide whether or not someone should keep his or her seat,” said Minnick.  ”However, now that the investigation is complete, and provided the facts are as alleged, I think it’s clear that he should resign from Congress.” 

Translation: If I'm going down in November because of that crook, he's damned well going down with me.

On the other hand, Betty Sutton (D-OH13), who's looking like a 2010 survivor, must nevertheless be hearing footsteps, because she beat Minnick to the punch:

In a statement to the Hill, Sutton stated, “It is regrettable, but Charlie Rangel needs to resign from his seat in Congress. This isn’t about being a Democrat or Republican, this is about preserving the public trust. Our nation is facing extraordinary challenges and we must be focused on building a sustainable economy that will allow our workers and businesses to flourish.”

Sutton has built a reputation as a crusader for congressional ethics. In 2008, she led the fight to pass legislation creating the Office of Congressional Ethics, which now serves as an independent ethics body within the House of Representatives.

Two down, two hundred fifty three to go.  Which is how this phony-baloney "trial" will wind up.  For Dems, having lost independents in droves, turning out their core constituencies is all they have left.  And cashiering from Congress altogether the first ever African-American chairman of "the powerful Ways & Means Committee" is rather....incompatible with that objective.

Rangel will get a "time out" and his erstwhile colleagues will be praying to Gaia that Adam Clayton Powell IV takes him out in the Donk primary.  If that doesn't happen, they're just going to be stuck with him.  And for the GOP, he'll be the gift that keeps on giving.