Charles Rangel And Those Damn Dominican's

After failing to report $75,000 in rental income from his villa in the Dominican Republic, Charles Rangel (D), explained to a press conference yesterday why it wasn't his fault:

Representative Charles B. Rangel said on Wednesday that “cultural and language barriers” had hindered him from understanding the finances of his Dominican Republic beach house, and vowed to repay several thousand dollars in federal taxes he owes.

The congressman said that he had not been aware of the income and unpaid taxes in part because he had trouble getting detailed financial statements from the resort’s managers in the Dominican Republic.

“Every time I thought I was getting somewhere, they’d start speaking Spanish,” Mr. Rangel said.

The nerve of them, I find alot of people from foreign countries speak different languages...and that really pisses me off.

I'm actually somewhat surprised Charles Rangel doesn't speak Spanish, especially considering more than half of his constituents are Spanish speaking. Also, speaking Spanish would have helped Rangel, when, in 2006, Rangel acknowledged that the Cuban government had partly paid for a 2002 trip in which he met with Castro. He initially listed two other sponsors on a travel disclosure form. (Miami Herald, April 8, 2008).
And to boot, regarding Fidel's sickness, Rangel sent a letter to Comrade Castro back in May, "expressing my sympathy and offering an apology for my countrymens' heartless celebration."

Birds of a feather, I suppose. Maybe Rangel uses the popular BabelFish translation tool when trying to interpret the various doting letters Castro sends to him.

Anyway, taxes are for the little guy, not for giants like Charles Rangel. Maybe Rangle just doesn't understand the tax system.

Mr. Rangel, a lawyer has been a member of the tax-writing committee for three decades.

Okay then, that's a little harder to explain...

If you be a messin' you should be a fessin'!