Last week, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel had to step down because he had been bedeviled by ethics problems, including a failure to pay his taxes.  That wasn’t the direct reason he stepped down, but it wasn’t just his little junket to the Caribbean that ended his tax-writing career.

Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, tried to install her fellow Californian Pete Stark in Rangel’s place, but the rest of the Democratic Caucus, sensing that perhaps putting a crazy person in charge of the most powerful committee in Congress, told Pete to pack it in.  They decided to go instead with Sander Levin, who isn’t very exciting, but certainly isn’t crazy.

Late last week, rumors started flowing about the imminent resignation of an obscure New York Congressman, a guy named Eric Massa.  Massa was most notable for being a Democrat who voted against most of President Obama’s agenda.

Massa, who apparently got drunk at one of his staffer’s weddings and then made a complete ass out of himself, found out the hard way about the wonderful world of Washington.  Read more...