The "Ways and Means" of Charlie and Other "Ranglers"
As Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) and his colleagues mull over his political fate, it's interesting to note that he's the third one-time leader of the powerful Ways and Means committee in the House of Representatives to fall amid scandal.
First, you should know what the Ways and Means Committee does, and why the chairmanship is a powerful, coveted position.
In short, it's the "tax" committee. Members help write the U.S. tax code: laws impacting every American citizen and business. Major corporations, industries and other special interests wish to curry favor to make sure tax laws are favorable to them.
Watchdogs say these special interests use methods such as campaign donations and other incentives to make sure their voices are heard. In other words, members of Congress who are lucky enough to get a spot on the Ways and Means Committee are virtually assured they'll be offered a wealth of campaign donations and courted with other perks.
As for the chairman? Well, you get the idea...These members become so powerful, so entrenched in the world of Washington influence, that political observers say they sometimes simply lose touch. Their sense of entitlement grows. They become their own worst enemies.
Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) served 13 years as the chairman of Ways and Means until 1994. That's when he was indicted for corruption. He later served time in prison.
Dan Rostenkowski, Ex-Rep. Sent to Prison, Dies
Pictures: Dan Rostenkowki
Washington Unplugged: Complex Legacies of Stevens and Rostenkowski
Before that, Wilbur Mills (D-Ark.) headed up Ways and Means. He led the committee from 1958 until 1974, and was its powerful leader when Medicare was enacted in 1965. But scandal brought him down, too.
In the most storied incident, police found him in the Washington, D.C., Tidal Basin with a stripper named Fanne Foxe. Before his colleagues could oust him, he stepped down as committee chairman in 1974.
Since Rep. Rangel stepped down as chairman of Ways and Means earlier this year, a congressman named Sander Levin (D-Mich.) has been leading the committee. His brother, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairs the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee.
Charlie Rangel Promises to Campaign to Win Re-Election
Rangel Gets Support from Top Dems at Fundraiser
Rangel Opponent: "We Need to Turn the Page"
Rangel Defiant, Dares House to Expel Him
Washington Unplugged: Charlie Rangel's Primary Challenger Speaks Out
