Dan Rostenkowski Dies

August 11, it seems, isn't a great day to have been a chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Today, Dan Rostenkowski—the imposing and intimidating former lawmaker from Illinois who led the committee for a 13-year period that spanned the presidencies of Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton—died at the age of 82.

Rostenkowski was a true power broker during his time in Congress. First elected in 1958, Rostenkowski started his congressional career representing Chicago's north side. He was seen as an ally of Chicago's longtime mayor, Richard Daley, and many saw him as representing Daley in the House.

During his time leading Ways and Means, he steered the Tax Reform Act of 1986 through Congress and worked with Republican presidents to both lower tax rates while eliminating some deductions and shelters. After Clinton became president, he was a major player in that administration's failed effort to get a health reform bill passed.

But Rostenkowski's time in Congress ended on a sour note as he was a key figure in what became known as the House Post Office scandal. He was accused of paying "ghost" employees, giving gifts paid for with House funds, and trading in stamps for cash. He was indicted on several felony counts, lost a reelection bid in 1994, and finally pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud. He spent 17 months in prison and was pardoned by Clinton in 2000.

One of Rostenkowski's lieutenants on the committee, Charles Rangel, waited 13 years until he was able to take over the chairmanship. But Rangel's tenure lasted just three-and-a-half years before he was forced to step down over his own ethics investigation.

Rangel, who joined the House in 1983 and who continues to represent his upper Manhattan district, is having a party thrown in his honor tonight at the Plaza Hotel. The only problem is, he might not get many high-profile Democrats to attend.

On Tuesday, Rangel took to the House floor to defend himself against charges of improper fundraising. "I am not going away. I am here,” Rangel said.