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LEFTOVERS: More Rangel money, Rendell on Corbett’s head, the Dem holdouts on health care

A busy weekend in western Pennsylvania sure makes it hard keep up.

Charles Rangel may have resigned his House Ways & Means chairmanship, but that doesn’t mean Democrats are free of Republican attacks about him. Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) appears to be the favored target as of late, because unlike many other Democrats, she hasn’t given back or donated campaign contribution from Rangel or his affiliated political action committees. One of her potential GOP opponents, businessman Paul Huber, has been hammering her on the issue.

“Congresswoman Dahlkemper should live up to the promise that this is, ‘the most honest and ethical Congress in history,’ and donate the Rangel contributions to charity,” he said in a statement.

In defending her decision, Dahlkemper has reportedly cited watchdog group reports that say Rangel’s war chest itself isn’t tainted.

Meanwhile, Gov. Ed Rendell had some things to say about the Republican front-runner who might soon live in the Governor’s Mansion. He scoffed at Attorney General Tom Corbett’s pledge not to hike any taxes.

“I see that the leading Republican just signed a no-tax pledge,” he told Capitol Punmanship. “He needs to have his head examined.

“When you hear the political candidates—both Democrats and Republicans—say, ‘We don’t have to raise taxes. We can do it by cutting the budget,’ there’s no way they can do it by cutting the budget,” Rendell added.

And finally, the potential of Democratic “nay” votes turning to “yea” votes on health care was all the rage Sunday. Congressmen Jason Altmire (D-4) and Tim Holden (D-17) were the only House Democrats in Pennsylvania to vote against the health care reform bill that passed the chamber last year. The Morning Call reports that Holden isn’t showing his hand yet. And the National Republican Congressional Committee seized on comments Altmire made on Fox News Sunday. “Using the word ‘switch’ implies this is the same bill,” Altmire said. “As I outlined, this is a very different finished project than where we were the first time we voted on this in November.

March 7, 2010 at 11:56 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Charles Rangel, Ed Rendell, Jason Altmire, Kathy Dahlkemper, PA-3, PA-4, Paul Huber, Tom Corbett

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