UPDATE @TheNote 4 min ago, “Rangel plot thickens. asked by reporters if he will remain chairman, Rangel said: ‘You bet your life.'”
But sources indicated Tuesday to NBC that Rangel has been encouraged to step aside before the House votes on a bill to strip him of his chairmanship.
“We don’t have the votes to save him,” one Democratic member said of Rangel.
The morning shows sure ought to be interesting tomorrow.
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Busy night. NBC, in a Chuck Todd Tweet:
25 min ago, “NBC News has learned Charlie Rangel will voluntarily give up his Ways and Means chairmanship, possibly as early as tonight.”
23 min ago, “MI Dem Rep. Sander Levin will temporarily take over the Ways and Means cmte; Unclear if Rangel can get the gavel back.”
4 min ago: “Rangel update: The Ways and Means gavel may end up in Pete Stark’s hands after all & NOT Sander Levin according to another leadership aide.”
2 min ago: “More Rangel: He just told the press he’s still chairman RIGHT NOW of Ways and Means. But sources say he’ll agree to leave tmro”
Politico reports that a trickle of Democratic defections turned into a flood:
“The dam broke today,” said a senior Democratic aide.
Rangel suffered a significant blow Tuesday afternoon when Rep. Artur Davis – a member of both the Ways and Means Committee and the Congressional Black Caucus who’s running for governor back home in Alabama – issued a statement in which he said the chairman “should do the right thing and step aside.”
By Tuesday night, at least 13 other Democrats had said that Rangel should go, and Democratic leaders were braced for more to come.