NBC's Myers Details Ethics Investigation Against Rangel

Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News aired a full report by correspondent Lisa Myers on the ongoing investigation into Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel’s failure to report income over several years to the IRS. Myers detailed some of the numbers:

The powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee recently revised six years of financial disclosure statements, revealing more than $600,000 in previously unreported assets and tens of thousands of dollars in unreported income. Among the holdings Rangel failed to report, an investment account and a checking account, each worth at least $250,000. Rangel also has admitted that he failed to report and pay taxes on $75,000 in rental income on this villa in the Dominican Republic.

At the end of her report -- after a clip of Rangel reacting dismissively toward a reporter who asked him about the matter, and a clip of government ethics watchdog Melanie Sloan complaining about his "pattern of conduct" – Myers hinted at Rangel's Democratic party affiliation as she informed viewers that "Republicans are demanding that Rangel be removed as chairman until the ethics investigation is complete," before noting that "So far, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is sticking with Rangel, but there is some nervousness among House Democrats, who worry about how all this may play with the public."

Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Wednesday, October 14, NBC Nightly News:

ANN CURRY: Storm clouds of a different kind are gathering over one of the most colorful and powerful members of Congress, New York's Charlie Rangel, whose long-running ethics problems keep getting worse. NBC's senior investigative correspondent Lisa Myers reports now.

LISA MYERS: Under an ethical cloud for more than a year now, Charles Rangel was in no mood to answer questions about that when NBC News caught up with him late yesterday afternoon.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN OFF CAMERA HOLDING MICROPHONE: Any plan to step aside while the ethics panel investigates you?

REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D-NY): I thought we were here to talk about trade and health. Obviously, you were not informed on that.

MYERS: The powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee recently revised six years of financial disclosure statements, revealing more than $600,000 in previously unreported assets and tens of thousands of dollars in unreported income. Among the holdings Rangel failed to report, an investment account and a checking account, each worth at least $250,000. Rangel also has admitted that he failed to report and pay taxes on $75,000 in rental income on this villa in the Dominican Republic.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN HOLDING MICROPHONE AND WALKING ALONGSIDE RANGEL: How exactly did you forget to file the, that on your taxes?

RANGEL: You shouldn't be that way. You know that? You really, I know it's your job, and I don't blame you, but it's really so rude.

MYERS: In the past, Rangel has blamed his problems on sloppiness and said he did nothing wrong.

MELANIE SLOAN, CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON: Mr. Rangel's pattern of conduct is what's so troubling here. It's not just one violation. It's a pattern of violations. And at the very least, it looks like he's arrogant and doesn't believe the rules apply to him.

MYERS: Republicans are demanding that Rangel be removed as chairman until the ethics investigation is complete.

JOHN BOEHNER, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Mr. Rangel is the chairman of the tax-writing committee in Washington, D.C., and yet, he doesn’t pay his taxes.

MYERS: So far, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is sticking with Rangel, but there is some nervousness among House Democrats, who worry about how all this may play with the public. Lisa Myers, NBC News, Washington.