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Charles Rangel Beach Villa Gallery

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Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel dozes on the beach at the Punta Cana Resort, where he owns and rents out a villa. He was squeezing in some vacation time before attending the Democratic convention.

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The powerful Ways and Means Committee chairman, a Democrat, owns "casita" No. 412 on the Caribbean Sea at the Punta Cana Hotel, on the lush eastern tip of the country, where he is affectionately known as "el senador."

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On his most recent trip, Rangel flew to the Dominican Republic capital, Santo Domingo, for the Aug. 16 inauguration of President Leonel Fernandez. He then drove to Punta Cana, about two hours away by car, with his adult son, Steven, and another family member for a vacation, his staff said.

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This month, Rangel joined resort owners Kheel and Frank Rainieri in Punta Cana for a private dinner at the opulent Bamboo Restaurant. The beachfront eatery, which serves Kobe beef and beluga caviar, was closed to other guests during the dinner.

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For 20 years, Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel has owned a beachfront villa in a sun-drenched Dominican Republic resort, yet has only sporadically declared income on the property in federal filings.

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In 20 years of filings, Rangel has never disclosed owning or acquiring any shares or interest in the company, Grupo Punta Cana. The company also owns and operates an international airport, three luxury housing developments, a shopping village, golf courses, a spa, seven restaurants and a marina.

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A map of Punta Cana.

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The interior of Punta Cana. Rangel came under fire in July when he acknowledged holding leases on four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem, where he has lived since the early 1970s. Adding his $169,300 congressional salary and other earnings reported in ranges in the disclosure forms, his 2006 income totaled between $172,802 to $185,200. His 2007 income totaled $175,811 to $187,200. And that does not include Punta Cana rental income.

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The Punta Cana Resort features a sea-side golf course.

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Rangel enjoyed five days at his villa, surrounded by swaying palm trees and hibiscus bushes, dotted with purple flowers. The afternoon that he left, the cottage was thoroughly cleaned by several hotel staff, and a Spanish-speaking couple moved in.

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The 78-year-old Rangel's stone-covered cottage - which boasts flat-screen TVs and a panoramic ocean view - was open to hotel guests in the past two years, General Manager Carolina Jones told The Post.