Political Grapevine: 1/8

Published: Thu, 8 Jan 2009

Description: Whatever happened to that ethics investigation of Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel?

Automatically Generated Transcript (may not be 100% accurate)

" And now some fresh pickings from the political grapevine. The ethics investigation into the house Ways and Means Committee chairman Charlie Rangel still is not done despite promises from speaker Nancy Pelosi. Rangel is being investigated in at least four areas including his failure to report income taxes on a Caribbean villa. And the use of rent controlled apartments in New York. Pelosi said in November quote the report will be completed by the end of this session which concludes January 3 2000 not. The hill newspaper reports the investigation will be further delayed because the ethics committee is currently without a chairman. And cyber cast news reports Rangel will likely hold onto his ways and means chairmanship. Because the house voted Tuesday to eliminate term limits for committee heads the spokesman for house minority leader John -- says quote. There's no limit whatsoever on the amount of time chairman Rangel can remain chairman despite the ethical questions he faces. Border patrol chief David Aguilar who is under fire from congress and his own department. Has been given a bonus worth more than 61000. Dollars the Washington times reports the reward is equal to about a third about UR's annual pay. Congress has criticized -- for delays in the twenty million dollar border fence project. As well as an accelerated hiring program which critics say is diluting the quality of border agents some value our own people are critical as well saying -- out of touch with field personnel quote. You clearly see yourself as an agent for change for political bosses rather than a person who has been entrusted to ensure the border patrol remains a top notch law enforcement agency. A -- elementary school is asking for donations of toilet paper trash bags and light poles. A local TV station reports the principal of the academy of America's sent a letter to staff and parents asking them for help with the items quote. That -- of the utmost importance. For proper school functioning and most importantly for student health and safety. The schools district is grappling with a budget deficit of more than 400 million dollars. Meanwhile the Chicago public school system has spent 67000. Dollars on thirty cappuccino and espresso machines most are going to on used they're going unused because the schools they were ordered for. Had not asked for them. The Chicago sun times reports administrators split the order among 21 schools to skirt competitive bidding rules. One official has been fired three others are facing disciplinary action. And finally it seems technicians at the Hamas TV station Al locks up. Got a little board Monday with the lives static image of Gaza the channel normally broadcast overnight. The Middle East media institute reports workers switched over to a polish pornographic channel. What the technicians did not realize is that they hit the wrong switch and the erotic images went out live on the Hamas station. This went on for a steamy six minutes before the live shot of Gaza was -- to."

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prime minister that more hybrid shouldn't let major delivered which is that Nancy Pelosi is -- the White House know that she's not ready for him to drop the public option in his speech on Wednesday. And she may not be

think he counted the months ago I think it's very clear the White House is working all along back channels. With the Senate Finance Committee hearing Max Baucus the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee that

on health care mark says snow the rhino. We bring in senior White House correspondent Major Garrett hey major we're talking about the possibilities of what could be said in the speech a week from tonight.

with the fact at least in the case of Charles Grassley the White House -- out of its way to say we know that fund raising letter he put out but basically -- the idea of

Well look all these things are happening in public and what the White House is trying to do is great. To construct two new arguments one Republicans have wandered off the reservation they're no longer -- in negotiating in good faithful that's a tough sell. Based on the fact pattern I've just established the other thing is. They're trying to -- Because the Republicans and walked away we have to restart this debate. No the reason -- have to restart the debate because you've lost forty points in the polls in the last -- that's what you have to restart the debates which is up in the White House refuses to even acknowledge publicly David Axelrod was out here just an hour -- fund reports. That -- professional sports you know

the town halls around the country at first were dismissed by the White House . And then they were essentially ignored now there is a retooling of the message I mean it seems Charles that this has

is a Washington. You know August early September McCain is on the White House -- I remember it well yes indeed there all my friends. -- diligent routinely applaud for me this. We all applaud what

a couple of -- there was a conference call today that the White House -- weekly basis with -- sympathetic democratic. Echo -- folks and that's not a derogatory term. Brooke White House bush white outfitted with sympathetic Republican folks -- appear. On television and radio -- the post up and it wasn't about health care which surprised all of Democrats I talked to it was about the stimulus and the argument that came from the White House was what. If you look around. The range of economists they're beginning to come around on the beneficial aspects the White House says of the statement the recovery act. And they said look at industrial production companies other than -- the economy are beginning to show progress. The message from the White House was and they want Democrats begin to amplify this is that. From an economic point of view the stimulus is beginning to

that -- that was the public -- that is how the White House is gonna begin merging these two arguments with its most sympathetic audience those Democrats who are outside the White House put it there and amplified through blog posts. Media appearances in other ways what the White House believes is the dual message they can begin to move on the economy and on health care.

will take. Palestinians will take. Major what is the sense of the White House about this whole. You know where they stand on Middle East issues -- of their of their working it is exactly as Charles described the pressure is very intent from the White House was extremely unhappy. When Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was here at the White House about a week and a half ago I sat next to the president said all the right things except one phrase. He

The White House says this is completely -- all voluntary defending compulsory about it and -- suggested helpful hints of how you can -- students. In this process. And I see him under the impression that the White House -- department of education of putting together a little bit -- push back -- say look there's nothing about this that. Is

our audience and elsewhere who see other more sinister overtones in the White House is gonna have to spend a day or two -- unexpectedly. Pushing back on. On what Steve Hayes said was creepy yeah. Here's here's the thing that I -- uses the marker if George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan or George HW bush had done. What ever it is what would the level of outrage or they let -- level of coverage be. And something tells me there might be a lot of people that would be fired up about you know. What other things of the White House often says in its defense on these things and they sent it to me in this the female controversy that went on

clear public polling data that there's no problem with exposure to the White House that's really not an issue that we're not happy to dig much deeper on -- haven't fully aware of maybe -- but

Not Stepping Down

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for unpaid taxes on rental income from a vacation home in the Dominican Republic . There are also questions about his investment funds and properties in New York Florida and DC.

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said he would reevaluate using one of the apartments as an office. John McCain reached out -- football fans in Pittsburgh during an interview there Wednesday he said the city's beloved Steelers made a huge impression on him during his youth. He then told the story about his time as a POW in Vietnam saying quote. When I was first interrogated and really had a Gibson has some information I named the defensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers as my squadron mates. McCain has told this story before with one exception. He listed players from the Green Bay Packers not the Steelers. McCain writes in his memoir faith of my father's quote pressed for more useful information I gave the names of the Green Bay Packers offensive line. The movie version of the book also referred to the Packers and in Newsweek magazine in 2005. McCain argued against torturous interrogation technique writing quote. I gave them the names of the Green Bay Packers offensive line knowing that providing them false information was sufficient. To suspend the abuse a campaign spokesman tells Fox News that McCain had a memory lapse calling it a non issue. It Dallas county Texas official is calling the terms black hole Angel food cake and devil's food cake. Racist. Monday's county commissioners meeting about traffic tickets turned into a tense debate when commissioner Kenneth mayfield who is white. Said quote it sounds like central collections has become a black hole . Mayfield said his comments were to be taken in the scientific context. But one African American official at the meeting demanded an

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