Afternoon News Dump 10/7

House Kills Resolution to Oust Rangel From Chair of Tax-Writing Committee
(Hat tip: doppleganglander)

House Republicans on Wednesday tried to pass a resolution to oust Rangel from his chairmanship following the reading of a long and stinging list of alleged wrongdoing. The measure stemmed from a major ethics probe into Rangel's alleged failure to pay his taxes and disclose income on multiple properties -- as much as $1.3 million.
But House Democrats were quick to strike down the measure to remove Rangel, who represents New York's Harlem district, from his post. House Republicans refused to accept defeat of the resolution, and asked for a second recorded vote following the first. The reading of the resolution was interrupted several times, and at one point was challenged by Democrats before being put to a vote.

The Tragic Case of Roman Polanski
(Hat tip: Squatch. One thought to add: If you have thirteen year-old girlfriend of Roman Polanski on one hand, and a thirteen year-old child bride of a Mormon fundamentalist who practices polygamy on the other, why is Hollywood creeped out by the latter but not the former?)

Film director Roman Polanski is fighting to avoid extradition from Switzerland to the US, a country he fled over 30 years ago to escape serving time for the alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. The case raises difficult questions about the US legal system, the current cult of celebrity and the excesses of the 1970s.

Chrysler Update
(From Coyote Blog - contributed to the A.N.D. by Pi Guy)

Rumors, credible rumors, are beginning to circulate in the car industry and the automotive press, that Chrysler may not make it another year primarily due to its falling sales and growing financial losses at partner Fiat….
The Congressional Oversight Panel has already said taxpayers will not see most of the $81 billion that they put into the American car industry. The $14.3 billion put into Chrysler is more and more likely to be lost completely. The biggest single loser if Chrysler cannot survive is the UAW which owns 55% of the company.