The current maximum penalty for tax evasion (the most you could get him for in terms of a possible criminal act out of everything he was accused of doing) is a $100,000 fine and a maximum prison sentence of 5 years.

da noid - is that per count?

Maybe he can room with madoff?

That is per count...of course, then you'd have to get the business of trying to prove intent...it's not enough just to have not paid tax on a certain amount of income...you must clearly demonstrate intent on the part of Rangel to not pay taxes on a certain amount of income.

For example...let's say you're completing your tax return and you make a mathematical error...you didn't subtract or add correctly or whatever...and now your $500 refund becomes a $550 refund. Well, at that moment, you're getting $50 back that you shouldn't...that's $50 that you owe in taxes. Did you commit tax evasion? No, because you did not intend to get that $50 extra refund.

In the case of Charlie Rangel, no criminal charges have been filed yet so it's my guess that they can not prove intent on his part to not fully pay his taxes.

Not paying taxes for 17 Years is intent.

Not quite, but nice try...I'm not saying there wasn't intent...but can you PROVE it?

He didnt pay Taxes on his home in the Domenican republic for 17 years. that is intent to defraud he was the Ranking member on the commitee that writes our Tax laws. so there is no way he can Claim Ignorance. Not like its even a legal excuse..

...but can you prove it?

I would say that by looking at his tax returns, him owning a home in the DR, and not paying taxes on it is pretty good proof. Especially if it is over a 17 year period.

Of course he'll get pardoned, because he is so old, but according to him, the can't even pay an attorney, so how can he pay his back taxes. Us common folk, would have our check deducted from or be thrown in jail already. Their all crooked in Washington.

But it doesn't prove INTENT...you all keep missing the point...it only rises to the level of Tax Evasion if I can PROVE that you knew you owed the taxes and that you knowingly and willingly refused to pay what you owed.

Now you can say, "Well, he's a lawmaker so he should have known that he had to pay the taxes on the rental property," but in a court of law that would hardly constitute proof of intent to commit tax evasion.

It's like Daniel Kaffee said in A Few Good Men...

"It doesn't matter what I believe. It only matters what I can prove."

Da Noid,

I wouldn't want too be the person defending him to the majority of Americans that are catching hell surviving right now...

We do have a justice system that's "blind"....

Exactly W Bush! I vote for every federal and state politicians to be audited by the IRS. I bet there will be a lot of crooked politicians on both sides.

I agree Kirby. Maybe it's the Lifetime benefits provided for entire familys & certain other Entitlements that keep them comeing back for more. Us TaxPayers need to Push for a constitutional admenment that does away with these lifetime benefits & then, maybe we'll have Real Public Servants.

But Not until then

Rick,

I think we need to add term limitations to the congress also. They did it to the Presidency, why should that be any different.