Another day, another indictment:
Rep. Rick Renzi was indicted Friday on multiple federal charges, law enforcement sources tell CNN.
art.renzi.afp.gi.jpgRep. Rick Renzi speaks during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, in April 2007.
In a 35-count indictment handed up by a grand jury in Arizona, Renzi is charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering extortion and insurance fraud.
The indictment stem from Renzi’s efforts to use his position in Congress to promote land deals in Arizona by a former business partner, according to the sources.
The Arizona Republican has been under an ethical cloud ever since a family business was raided earlier this year by the FBI, which is investigating whether he used his federal office for personal gain.
Insert your own snark. Will the morons in AZ send another Republican in his place?
cleek
come on… someone find a link to McCain!
Jay
Will the morons in AZ send another Republican in his place?
Yes. SATSQ.
I just spent the weekend in Phoenix and was amazed to learn from the local news that the Democrats opposed a bill that allowed the government to wiretap foreigners! And that bill also protected telecom companies who shared customer information with the government!
No wonder this country is falling apart now that the Democrats control Congress! /snark
Elvis Elvisberg
Well, there’s already a link to the US Attorneys scandal. I don’t see anything about this deal that would necessarily involve McCain, though.
What I don’t get is why we’re not seeing ads, or at least press releases and TV appearances, from the DNC about just how many GOP congressmen of the past 4 years are under investigation or indictment. You have to be paying relatively close attention to know about this stuff. Gingrich tarred the early ’90s Congress as corrupt with a whole lot less material.
It seems like an obvious joke to me, but “Renzi scheme” turns up surprisingly few hits.
demimondian
Link to McCain? Easy — Renzi is one of the Arizone co-chairs for McCain for President.
You’d think that Honest John would have started distancing himself from this loser a while back, wouldn’t you?
RSA
How many days will it be before we see a picture of Renzi on Fox News, with a little [D] next to his name?
GSD
Cleek,
Like this?
UPDATE: Renzi is member of Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) National Leadership Team as well as a co-chair of his Arizona Leadership Team.
McSleaze
-GSD
Jay C
Maybe, maybe not: Arizona isn’t quite the solid-red Republican bastion it once was. The Democrats had a couple of successes out there in ’06 – in the right district, a moderate Dem might have a good shot at a pickup. Especially over an issue of corruption – the GOP gift that keeps on giving!
One of those rare cases where “I am not a crook” really does work as a campaign peg!
The Populist
Funny thing about AZ, their governor is a dem AND a woman. She’s quite popular, too. One would wonder why the state continues sending loser righties to the congress when there have to be more acceptable dems (ala Napolitano) to send instead.
Some never learn (San Diego…cough…cough).
caune
The demographics of Renzis district pretty much assure another repub will replace him. Us Arizona Democrats hide in the big cities (all two of them;) and only go to rural areas to breath fresh air and pick up some home made pies!
Billy K
Most of Arizona is transplants from San Diego or L.A., so this none of this surprises me. (Some midwesterners thrown in, of course).
Grew up in Phoenix. Worst place on Earth.
The Populist
Billy – I thought folks from L.A. were a bit more liberal than those from SD and the OC?
I know many of my neighbors (OC) who have moved to AZ. Guess that explains it.
ThymeZone
Good grief, who is this ignorant buitthead Billy K that knows nothing of which he speaks? Arizona is the second fastest growing population in the country, they just keep moving — mostly to Phoenix — in droves, mostly for jobs, good weather, relatively small traffic problems for a metro area of 4 million, moderate housing prices, and the nearness of Arizona attractions and scenic wonders.
Worst Place On Earth just continues to attract residents by leaps and bounds.
About a fourth of Arizona in-migrants come from California, the nation’s most populous state which happens to be next door. The other three fourths — or, most, as you might call it — come from elsewhere, based on surrendered driver’s licenses at issue of new licenses.
Here’s a nice look at Quality of Life issues for the area, which I am thinking Billy K hasn’t seen.
If you find the part that explains the “worst place on earth” assertion, let me know, will you?
PaminBB
So Renzi will now be able to retire, and spend more time with his
lawyersfamily.Califlander
Hmmm … conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering.
The Republican Triathalon.
Badtux
To reiterate, the 1st District comprises a) the Indian reservations, and b) most of rural northeast Arizona, and c) the Casa Grande area. Believe it or not, many of the Indians do vote for Republicans when they vote, if the Republican is running as a “small government” Republican (apparently they had enough of that Big Government stuff when they got rounded up and put onto reservations, what they want most now is for government to leave’em alone), and rural Arizona and the Casa Grande area definitely will vote Republican. So while the cities are definitely trending Democratic (and voted in Janet Napolitano as their Democratic governor), a Republican is *almost* a shoe-in to get the 1st District — *if* a credible Republican candidate steps forward. If the Democrats can get a Babbitt or other well-known name to step forward and no credible Republican steps forward on the other hand… (shrug). Who knows.
– Badtux the Former Arizona Penguin
Craig
Did you read about how Renzi became a representative?
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/006557.html
“During fall 2001, a new congressional district was formed in Arizona, and Renzi bought a house in Flagstaff. He established himself as a voter there and, a month later, announced his candidacy. In interviews at the time, Renzi shrugged off the label of outsider, saying, “Let the chips fall where they may if I am a carpetbagger.”