Friday, April 20th, 2007...6:17 am
The Feds Just Got Confused and Thought They’d Meet That Adorable Little Gecko
Well, it’s finally happened: some action has been taken in the inquiry into Rick Renzi. The FBI raided an insurance company owned by Renzi’s wife yesterday. Depending on who you ask, the inquiry either involves a defense contract, or a land swap. In any case, this thing has finally gotten past the “some sources say…” stage.
The Republic reports that Renzi has stepped down from the House Intelligence Committee while this is being looked into. He also told the Republic:
I view these actions as the first step in bringing out the truth.
Um, yeah, he’s welcoming the FBI raid because those inevitably lead to exoneration. I’m sure he also likes being $103,000 in debt to his lawyers too.
Roll Call’s article on the matter (available by very expensive subscription only) leans in the direction that it has something to do with a land swap deal that could be interpreted as a bribe.
(By the way, why did this get broken by Roll Call and not an Arizona paper?)
The Democratic Party has sent out a press release trying to tie the timing of the raid to the Alberto Gonzales hearings. I don’t entirely buy that, although it would bolster Gonzales’s case that if he could claim that ongoing investigations had nothing to do with this. In any event, this combined with further developments in the influence peddling case against Rep. John Doolittle confirm that the troubles among their caucus members are not done yet.
8 Comments
April 20th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Here’s the good news. Democrats already have a strong candidate who would make an excellent candidate.
State Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, a UA grad, is a Flagstaff Attorney, former Flagstaff City Proscutor and a floor leader for House Democrats in Phoenix with strong environmental credentials.
She is highly regarded and effective. She is fluent in Apache (her first language, since she grew up on the White Mountain Rez) and articulate.
The Republicans already have a substitute candidate - former Senate President Ken Bennett.
So the choice will be between an establishment Republican oil guy (Bennett Oil of Prescott) or a former prosecutor with strong ties to the Indian communities as well as environmentalists.
Watch for more about Ann.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
You’re kidding, right? After the D’s raise taxes and concede defeat to the terrorists you think they have a shot? Hahahahahahaha. ‘Tis to laugh. Who is going to come fundraise for them? Harry Reid? Nancy Pelosi? Give me a break.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I guess the Rs can invite Duke Cunningham, Jack Abramhoff or Scooter Libbey to THEIR fund-raiser - assuming any of them are out on parole.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
It’s both. the Allegation that was leaked was that Renzi passed a land swamp deal in Congress that was outside his district and in turn, lucrative defense contracts were awarded to his Dad’s defense contract company as a thank you. Apparently , they had transfered all assets to his wife’s company to hide the assets, which is why they raided her company yesterday.
April 20th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
swamp=swap
April 20th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Has Ann announced?
April 20th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Ann is doing as good a job in the state legislature as a member of the minority can do in a house dominated by batshit looney wingnuts.
I think Ann would be a great candidate, but I’ve never heard her mention running for Congress.
April 20th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Gonzales has to take the Renzi investigation seriously. Punishing Carol Lam or firing David Iglesias for moving too slowly on the Manny Aragon investigation aren’t felonies (as ugly as they might be). But IF it turns out that the reason for firing Charlton was specifically to slow down or derail the Renzi investigation then it becomes grounds for filing Obstruction of Justice charges. That would be a Federal felony, the same one that former Attorney General John Mitchell went to prison for back in the Watergate era.
I believe that is what GOP Senators are worried about too– the idea that they would want Gonzales gone for making the Justice Department too partisan is laughable. They know that the attorney scandal could possibly result in felony charges against him, and that is why they want him gone.
Leave a Reply