[img_assist|nid=2767|title=U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith|desc=Getty Images Photo |link=none|align=middle|width=416|height=300]U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-Pendleton) campaign called on U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) to return funds he received from U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), after it was revealed that Rangel did not pay federal taxes on rental income from property he owns in the Dominican Republic.

According to the Smith campaign, Merkley received $5,000 from Rangel’s National Leadership PAC and $2,000 from Rangel for Congress on June 29.

According to Smith’s campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride, Merkley should give the money to charity. Gilbride pointed out that Smith donated the funds provided by Ted Stevens after it was revealed that the Senator from Alaska was being brought up on charges for concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gifts and home renovations from VECO Corp., an Alaskan oil company.

“These donations are tainted,” Merkley said of Stevens’ money at the time.

Calls to Merkley’s campaign were not immediately returned.

Correction: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says it has not returned campaign funds to Rangel. The Democratic National Committee returned $100,000 to Rangel because of Barack Obama's policy not to accept money from political action committees, according to a CNN report.