Suppose Rangel Goes?

Charles Rangel.  Source: Bloomberg.

Charles Rangel (D-NY), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, faces an ethics challenge: Pelosi faces pressure to replace Rangel.  Pelosi says she won't take any steps until she sees an ethics committee report due by January 3.

The House Ways and Means Committee is the key House trade committee. The Committee's web site notes:

The Committee on Ways and Means has responsibility over legislation relating to tariffs, import trade, and trade negotiations.  In the early days of the Republic, tariff and customs receipts were major sources of revenue for the Federal Government.  As the Committee with jurisdiction over revenue-raising measures, the Committee on Ways and Means thus evolved as the primary Committee responsible for international trade policy.

Rangel doesn't have a bad trade record.  The Cato Institute says he has voted against trade barriers 64% of the time since 1997 in the votes they've followed, and against trade subsidies about 22% of the time.

Who would take his place (Pelosi faces pressure...):

Rangel is also insulated on Ways and Means by the lawmakers behind him on the dais. California Rep. Pete Stark, the next most senior Democrat on Ways and Means, is a long-shot to ever wield the gavel because his far-left politics and unpredictable outbursts make him a liability for party leaders, according to Democratic insiders. Likewise, Michigan Rep. Sander M. Levin and Washington Rep. Jim McDermott wouldn't be Democratic leaders' first choice to helm the powerful tax-writing panel. This could force party brass to upend the seniority system to replace Rangel with a member more to their liking, like Georgia Rep. John Lewis or Massachusetts Rep. Richard E. Neal. 

Stark has a poor record on opposing trade barriers, only voting against them in 34% of the votes followed by the Cato Institute.  But he has a very good record of opposition to trade subsidies, voting against them in 74% of the votes followed by Cato.  Levin, A Democrat from Michigan, is currently chair of the Committee's subcommittee on trade.  Cato says he's voted against trade barriers 63% of the time since 1997, but he's apparently never voted against a trade subsidy in one of the 27 votes Cato followed for the period.  Jim McDermott has a good record on trade.  He's voted against trade barriers in 71% of the votes followed by the Cato Institute, and against trade subsidies 42% of the time.  John Lewis has voted against trade barriers 43% of the time since 1997, and against subsidies 27% of the time.  Richard Neal has voted against barriers 63% of the time, and against trade subsidies 19% of the time.

McDermott would be better for trade (on this criterion) than Rangel, and Neal would be similar.  Stark falls way behind on opposition to barriers, but way ahead on opposition to subsidies.  Neither Levin or Lewis look as good as Rangel.

Update December 2: Martin Vaughan reported on Rangel's status for the Wall Street Journal on December 2: Rangel Fights to Hold Party Backing as Ethics Charges Fly.  Vaughan gives an overview of Rangel's problems and concludes that he's unlikely to lose the chairmanship.  If he does...

Removing Mr. Rangel from his post might also set off a fight for the chairmanship among senior Democrats at a time when President-elect Barack Obama will be seeking a smooth transition to advance his economic agenda.

The next most senior Democrat, Rep. Pete Stark of California, is seen as so liberal on tax, trade and welfare issues that centrist Democrats in the House caucus would be loathe to see him take up the gavel.

But the next three most senior members -- Rep. Sander Levin (D., Mich.), Rep. Jim McDermott (D., Wash.) and Rep. John Lewis (D., Ga.) -- will not please moderates either, according to a House aide.

Comments

[Peter Gallagher]

Hi Ben,

How many Republicans have been forced to resign from Ways and Means? It seems to be chiefly a Democrat fate. When I worked in Washington (a long time ago) Dan Rostenkowsi was Chair of Ways and Means. He was 'resigned' for cause, of course. But in his defense I would say that he and (the most pleasant, hardworking, canny Congressmen I ever met) Sam Gibbons (D-Fl, who chaired the Trade Sub-Committee) ran an intelligent, liberal Committee that had effective legislative impact. They also attracted some really good staff; among them a current Deputy Director-General of WTO, Rufus Yerxa.

Kind regards,

Peter