NRCC tries to tie Rangel scandal to Washington, Dems cry hypocrisy

The National Republican Congressional Committee is going local, even here in Washington, with the scandal plaguing Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY). In light of the revelation that Rangel has admitted to owing thousands in back taxes, the NRCC is attempting to tie local Congressmen and candidates to Rangel, and has called on three of them -Darcy Burner (D-Carnation), Rep. Brian Baird (D-Vancouver) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Arlington)-to return all contributions from Rangel's PAC.

They cite his hometown newspaper, the New York Times, as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer, who have both called for his removal as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

"When the ultra-liberal New York Times has lost all faith in the ability of a liberal to lead, you know the jig is up," said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain in a press release directed toward Burner, Larsen and Baird.

Spain then called them out for remaining silent on the issue and refusing to return Rangel's money. Rep. Baird has received $4,000 from Rangel's PAC, while Burner has take $28,000 and Rep. Larsen has accepted $9,000.

Washington State Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser has joined the NRCC in calling for a return of the funds from Burner's campaign. He sent out a press release last week

"Following this astonishing admission from Congressman Rangel, I call on Darcy Burner to refund every cent of the $28,000 in contributions," Esser said. "If Burner truly believes in fighting corruption in Congress, this would seem to be a good place to start.  It's time for Burner to stand up to her own party and either cough up the money or explain why she finds it acceptable to keep ethically-tainted money."

The state Republicans also cited an August, 2006 interview Burner did with the Pacific Views blog in which she said, "Don't accept tainted money, rule number one."

Darcy Burner's campaign had no comment on the issue.

Still, House Democrats hit back at the Republicans, as reported by The Politico. They called the NRCC's attempts to make an issue of this hypocritical because of the sizeable number of Republicans who have refused to return PAC money from two Republican Congressmen under federal investigation, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and Rep. Jerry Lews (R-Calif.).

"Hypocrisy is competing with dishonesty as the defining characteristic of House Republicans," Doug Thornell, the spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told The Politico. "If the Republicans continue to throw stones from inside their own cracked glass houses, they're liable to get hit by falling shards of glass."

Ironically, Burner's opponent, Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Auburn) has accepted money from the PACs of both Lewis (R-Calif.) and Young (R-Alaska), who are under federal investigation for allegedly trading earmarks for campaign contributions.