Support for Charles Rangel within his home state delegation is showing signs of strain -- with upstate New York Democrats grumbling about the impact of Rangel's ethics woes on their already tenuous reelection chances. Politically vulnerable junior Democrats have been agitating with more senior counterparts to intervene -- either with Rangel or with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) -- in an attempt to ease Rangel out as Ways and Means chairman until the House ethics committee completes its review of the allegations against him, members tell POLITICO.
"The past month it's escalated," said one of the lawmakers, noting that Rangel's restatement of his personal finances in August "put additional pressure on those members" from northern swing districts.
"There's concern. There's rumblings," said another New York member about the dean of the state delegation. "Is it palpable? No. But there is talk."
Several members of the delegation said Democratic Reps. Eric Massa and Michael Arcuri, both elected by the barest of margins, have been the most rattled.
A top House Democrat said the complaints don't pose an immediate threat to the Ways and Means chairman but "are significant" because they reflect growing impatience among Democrats from all over the country disgusted with the slow pace of the yearlong Rangel investigation.
A major crack in the pro-Rangel facade appeared last week when Bill Owens, the Democratic candidate for the western New York seat vacated by Republican John McHugh, essentially endorsed a GOP effort to strip Rangel of his committee post.
"Elected officials should be held to the highest possible standard," Owens said in a statement. "I encourage the ethics committee to complete its investigation as quickly as possible and establish a firm deadline for reporting their findings to the House of Representatives. In the interim, Chairman Rangel should voluntarily step down as chairman of the committee."
But Owens is hardly the only Democrat worried about the effect Rangel's presence could have in 2010. Many Democrats -- especially those who have been beneficiaries of recent Rangel campaign contributions -- fret that a guilt-by-association attack could provide just enough of a push to knock them out of office next year.
Even members who profess total loyalty to the still-popular Rangel want the ethics committee to complete its work as soon as possible.
"I love Charlie," said one downstate member, "but this can't go on forever."