Press Releases :: September 17, 2008

Tancredo Offers Advice to Rangel in Plain English
Invites Rangel to co-sponsor legislation making English official language

( WASHINGTON, D.C. ) – U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton) today sent the following letter to Charles Rangel, the Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means. Rangel has been under increasing scrutiny for failing to report $75,000 in earned income. Rangel has blamed his failure to report the income on his inability to comprehend Spanish.

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September 17, 2008

Dear Chairman Rangel,

Like many Americans, I have followed recent news coverage detailing your failure to report thousands of dollars in income derived from rental property. In part, you attributed this to the fact that much of the communication relating to the house was conducted in Spanish, making it difficult for you to understand the potential tax ramifications of your investment.

I am sympathetic to your concerns, and would like to invite you to co-sponsor legislation I introduced (H.J.Res.19) which would make English the official language of the United States.

While passage of this bill will do little to reform our hopelessly complex tax code – or assist you in escaping your current ethical dilemma – its passage may help ensure that future generations of Americans less wealthy than yourself can live in a country where they can use an ATM, call a customer service department, or shop at their local grocery store without having to find a translator or “Press 1 for English” as they must often do in the America of today.

Please contact me if you would like more information about the resolution.

HERE