(The Politico) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn't asking embattled Charlie Rangel to step down as chairman of the Ways and Means committee and the 78-year-old Harlem Democrat isn't offering to quit - amid a firestorm over a series of apparent ethical lapses.

Rangel walked into tonight's pivotal meeting with House leadership with "no intention" of quitting his post, according to people close to him - although they conceded he might be asked to take one for the party.
"He's not going into there with the sense that he's going to go," said a person close to the 76-year-old Harlem Democrat. "But who know's what's going to happen once he gets in there."