Congressman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Fox News's Sean Hannity had a very entertaining debate about taxes Monday evening.
When Hannity told the Congressman he pays 60 cents in taxes on every dollar he makes, Rangel said, "It means that you need yourself a good accountant" leading Hannity to marvelously reply, "Charlie, if I used your accountant I'd be on the verge of getting in trouble in Congress."
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Out of every dollar one of those rich people in New York make, how much should they be able to keep?
CONGRESSMAN CHARLES RANGEL (D-NEW YORK): Well, it depends on what the tax rates are, and that's what we're trying to do.
HANNITY: No, after they pay state, federal, FICA…
RANGEL: I don’t really, look, if you make yourself six, seven million dollars a year, I'm not going to tell you how much of that you should, because you do a lot of charity work.
HANNITY: Do you think if somebody pays 60 cents of every dollar that that’s too much?
RANGEL: Of course it's ridiculous.
HANNITY: Well if you live in New York, that's what you pay.
RANGEL: Well, I don't think that we're here to define what the tax code is going to be.
HANNITY: But that's the reality. That’s what it is now.
RANGEL: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
HANNITY: Yeah, yeah.
RANGEL: No, if you take a, if you really take a look at the rich people that we have in this country, most of them don't pay any taxes at all.
HANNITY: Okay, I pay 60 cents of every dollar.
RANGEL: Well, it means that you need yourself a good accountant, that’s all that means. [Laughs]
HANNITY: Listen, Charlie, if I used your accountant I'd be on the verge of getting in trouble in Congress. Now let’s be honest.
D’oh!
For those missing the joke, Hannity was referring to tax issues Rangel has had since 2008. A few minutes later, he asked his guest more about it:
HANNITY: Let me ask you a question about you. Here you are, the head of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. You guys are in charge of writing tax law. And then all of these ethics issues come out on you, and taxes. Seriously, why did you allow that to happen knowing you spent all these years in Congress and that that was going to hurt your reputation? Why didn't you just pay the bill? Why didn’t you report these things?
RANGEL: Actually, that case is not really over, and according to my counsel, Jay Goldberg, I don't think that it would be proper for me to discuss it any further on your show. But I tell you one thing, when it is over, you'll be the first one to get the answers.
HANNITY: That a promise?
RANGEL: That's a promise.
HANNITY: Alright, I'll take it.
