Pelosi picks fellow Californian(Pete Stark) to take gavel after Rangel bows out

[kpete]

Source: The Hill

Pelosi picks fellow Californian to take gavel after Rangel bows out
By Michael O'Brien and Jared Allen - 03/03/10 11:45 AM ET

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has picked liberal firebrand Rep. Pete Stark to replace ousted Chairman Charles Rangel on the tax-writing committee, according to a House leadership aide.

The decision was made during a Wednesday morning leadership meeting following Rangel's announcement that he would temporarily step aside as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the aide said.

Rangel (N.Y.) had come under growing pressure in the wake of several ethics investigations, and he faced a vote Wednesday on a GOP-backed privileged resolution to force his ouster.

GOP lawmakers said they still intended to go forward with the resolution, saying Rangel’s “temporary” withdrawal as chairman was not good enough.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/84677-rangel-to-give-up-ways-and-means-gavel-while-ethics-investigation-continues

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Completely awesome anecdote about Pete Stark, new House Ways and Means chair
by: Chris Bowers
Wed Mar 03, 2010 at 13:01

Two years ago, a source on Capitol Hill who used to work in Representative Pete Stark's office told me a great anecdote about Representative Stark.

One day, a lobbyist from a large energy company entered the lobby of Representative Stark's office. When he heard who was in the lobby, Representative Stark yelled from another room "get the f*ck out of here!" When the lobbyist laughed a bit and didn't leave, Representative Stark came into the lobby and yelled again "no, get the f*ck out of here!" The lobbyist then left.

http://www.openleft.com/diary/17662/completely-awesome-anecdote-about-pete-stark-new-house-ways-and-means-chair