A Report Alleges Further Financial Follies From Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Funny Money

A report by a non-partisan group says House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel failed to report acquiring, owning, or disposing of assets — a total of 28 times during the past 30 years.

Researchers with the Sunlight Foundation say "Assets worth between $239,026 and $831,000 appear or disappear with no disclosure of when they were acquired, how long they were held, or when they were sold."

The New York Democrat is currently under investigation by the ethics committee for a variety of other issues. The New York Post reports he dismissed the finding as a "cheap political stunt."

Dean's List

John Dean — the Nixon White House counsel who testified against the president and his men during the Watergate scandal — has a few choice words for The New York Times. Last Sunday, the newspaper published a 1,600 word front-page story describing how Watergate historians have come — over the years — to entertain "rival visions" of Dean's role in the scandal, with some now seeing Dean as "a primary architect of the cover-up who saved himself by deflecting guilt."

In a posting on the Daily Beast Web site Wednesday that runs 2,600 words, Dean likens the Times to The National Enquirer and suggests the "paper of record" published the story because it is "still after all these decades smarting from... finding itself scooped by the Washington Post" on the Watergate story.

Dean was disbarred after pleading guilty over Watergate but still writes and speaks on legal issues for some media outlets. A Times spokesman told FOX News the paper stands by its story.

Three Little Words

As you might have heard — or not heard as the case may be — President Obama has shied away from using the phrase "War on Terror" since taking office.

Newsweek magazine reports his national security officials have had brainstorming sessions to craft a different way to describe America's efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

One administration official involved says "We're trying to come up with a phrase that better articulates a hopeful message."

But Nile Gardiner of the conservative Heritage Foundation says, "This is not the time to be engaging in a cynical PR exercise which will only serve to soften America's image in the eyes of its worst enemies."

Doomsday Scenario

Newly appointed Energy Secretary Steven Chu tells the Los Angeles Times that California's farms and vineyards could vanish by the end of the century because of global warming: "I don't think the American public has gripped in its gut what could happen. We're looking at a scenario where there's no more agriculture in California. I don't actually see how they can keep their cities going."

The Top Republican on the Senate Environment Committee — Oklahoma's James Inhofe — responds — "I am hopeful Secretary Chu will take note of the real-world data."

— FOX News Channel's Zachary Kenworthy contributed to this report.