Republican Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi indicted on multiple federal charges, sources tell CNN.

[maddezmom]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Rick Renzi was indicted Friday on multiple federal charges, law enforcement sources tell CNN.

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.

Renzi has never admitted to wrongdoing.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/22/renzi.indictment/index.html?section=cnn_latest

---

Congressman Charged in Land Deal
By LARA JAKES JORDAN – 5 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Rick Renzi has been indicted for extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other charges related to a land deal in Arizona.

A 26-page federal indictment unsealed in Arizona accuses Renzi and two former business partners of conspiring to promote the sale of land that buyers could swap for property owned by the federal government. The sale netted one of Renzi's former partners $4.5 million.

more:http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hUffcJeMQAQIuhzLEJyOL5lOcInQD8UVEQ801

Rick Renzi, Republican Congressman, Indicted by U.S.

By Robert Schmidt

Feb. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Representative Rick Renzi, a Republican from Arizona who isn't seeking re-election, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in an alleged scheme to profit from a land deal.

Renzi, 49, who was first elected to the House in 2002, was charged along with James Sandlin, one of his political backers, and Andrew Beardall, an attorney who had worked as general counsel of Renzi's family insurance business.

The U.S. alleged that Renzi offered to sponsor legislation to help a company seeking to swap land with the federal government if it purchased property owned by Sandlin. Renzi, who sat on a committee that had to approve such deals, told the company that he wouldn't support the request if it didn't buy the land, according to the indictment. No deal was made.

Later, Renzi pressured a separate investment group, also looking for approval of a land exchange, to purchase the property, prosecutors said. That group agreed to buy 480 acres from Sandlin for $4.6 million, the government said.

more:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=abww0WDvKVMU&refer=us

[Thrill]

1. Another Repuke.

[mwb970]

2. I knew he was an R the moment I heard about it. Sure enough! /nt

[LynneSin]

3. OMG - this guy is a quiverfull family

12 kids that all have names that start with the letter "R". Way to take care of your family you conniving lying, thieving piece of shit :grr:

[PassingFair]

29. ...and a CANOODLER!

[Judi Lynn]

33. Thanks for pointing out the secret identity of the creep with the former Sec. of State,

Katherine Harris, who ALSO didn't last too long.



Heck of a job, Renzi.

[fasttense]

4. He's been suspected of passing legislation to help his father

and a dirty land deal (much like TN's Corker's (R) crooked land deal in Chattanooga)

"the Associated Press wrote a story saying the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona is investigating an unspecified Renzi land deal. The story quoted an anonymous law enforcement official in Washington.

A New York Times story quickly followed, quoting unnamed federal authorities or law enforcement officials saying that federal authorities in Arizona are investigating whether Renzi really did introduce legislation to benefit his father.

Then a Washington Post story Wednesday quoted three (unnamed) law enforcement officials saying both the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI's Phoenix field office are investigating "two land deals," one completed and one not, related to Renzi's former business partner James Sandlin."

http://prescottdailycourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=41635&TM=26137.34

[trof]

5. What? DOJ idicts one of their OWN?

That's not the way they do it in Alabama.
:grr:

[stillcool]

11. not to worry...

It seems like investigations, and indictments have a very narrow focus on the crimes committed. Should he be convicted he will pay a fine, serve a brief stint in prison, do community service or a little of each. The end result will shut down the more serious charges, or a wider focus that could snare more serious players. Such a winning strategy!

[OneAngryDemocrat]

6. Congressman Charged in Land Deal

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Rick Renzi has been indicted for extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other charges related to a land deal in Arizona.

A 26-page federal indictment unsealed in Arizona accuses Renzi and two former business partners of conspiring to promote the sale of land that buyers could swap for property owned by the federal government. The sale netted one of Renzi's former partners $4.5 million.


Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hUffcJeMQAQIuhzLEJyOL5lOcInQD8UVEQ801

---

Please visit my anti-war website, www.shockedandawful.com

[rasputin1952]

7. No surprise here...the R's, (and some D's), have decided long

ago that they are above any laws the nation, states or communities have.

With bush leading the charge to sell off the nation to the highest bidder, who could expect less?

[pattmarty]

8. "Another one bites the dust"....................

Ya know, it always has to do with one or two things; greed (money laundering, extortion, fraud etc) or sex (hetero, gay, kinky etc) for "these" shitbags.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

10. you owe me a coke...hahaha we posted at the same time

:rofl:

[pattmarty]

17. I guess like minds think alike. Will gladly buy you a coke if.....................

........... ever the twain shall meet.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

9. and another one bites the dust

[Demeter]

12. It IS Unbelieveable That Any GOP Is Prosecuted

The Omerta has been irretrievably broken. And still Congress refuses to impeach! Is a puzzlement.

[idovoodoo]

13. It appears these are state charges

unless I'm misreading the story...?

[Demeter]

14. The Headline Says Federal Charges

[idovoodoo]

20. Yes it does, I was referring to the report that was on CNN a little while ago.

They went to some trouble to call them Arizona charges. :shrug: Maybe there are both.

[Baby Snooks]

18. The Empress

Bush and Rove hijacked Congress. They just weren't very successful apparently in their attempt to hijack the Justice Department.

Their cheerleader for corruption, Kay Bailey Hutchison, seems to have lost her pom-poms. Usually they send her out to proclaim that everything a Republican is charged with is just a "technicality."

But they do have the Empress. Who will continue to keep impeachment off the table. Hopefully the voters in her district will tell her what she can do with herself and her table this November.

They all want Hillary Clinton. Connect the dots. And vote for Obama in the remaining primaries. And then Xerox the results and send them to her office. And to AP.

[cal04]

15. TPM Muckraker

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/breaking_gop_rep_renzi_indicte.php

Republican Rep. Rick Renzi has been indicted for extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other charges related to a land deal in Arizona.

A 26-page federal indictment unsealed in Arizona accuses Renzi and two former business partners of conspiring to promote the sale of land that buyers could swap for property owned by the federal government. The sale netted one of Renzi's former partners $4.5 million.

Update: The charges boil down to this, basically. Renzi is charged with doing everything he can to strong-arm others into buying land from his buddy James Sandlin -- Sandlin then allegedly kicked back sizable chunks of cash back to Renzi in a series of complicated financial transactions (thus the money laundering charge). The main details of these charges were reported by the Arizona papers and The Wall Street Journal last year.

Here's the indictment.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/renzi-indictment/

[maddezmom]

19. thanks for the link

:hi:

[cal04]

31. you're very welcome. Thank you for the post

:hi:

[cal04]

30. McCain Witholds "Judgment" on Renzi Indictment

As we mentioned earlier, Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) is one of two dozen co-chairs of John McCain's campaign in Arizona. When reporters asked him today what he thought about Renzi's indictment, he seems to have gotten a little tongue-tied. From the AP:

McCain seemed surprised when asked in Indianapolis for his reaction to the indictment, choosing his words carefully, shaking his head and speaking slowly.

"I'm sorry. I feel for the family; as you know, he has 12 children," McCain told reporters on the presidential campaign trail. "But I don't know enough of the details to make a judgment. These kinds of things are always very unfortunate. ... I rely on our Department of Justice and system of justice to make the right outcome."

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/mccain_witholds_judgment_on_re.php

[Baby Snooks]

16. Must be some Democrats left at the Justice Department...

Despite the attempt by Bush and Rove to hijack the Justice Department it appears the Justice Department is still alive albeit on life support.

[gratuitous]

21. No named sources in the story?

Must be bogus, according to the newly-minted "McCain Standard."

Hmmmm.

Nope, it still sounds damned stupid as an excuse or reason to disbelieve a story.

[maddezmom]

22. LOL! just a fyi for you doubters

Just kidding.:D

U.S. Attorney Diane Humetewa in Phoenix, where the indictment was handed down, has scheduled a news conference to details the charges.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080222/us_nm/crime_usa_congressman_dc_2

I think I read it was at 9:30 am AZ time.

[tanyev]

23. Don't forget to mention that he's a McCain Co-Chair in Arizona!

:rofl:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/22/rick-renzi-indicted-mcca_n_87974.html

[donkeyotay]

24. Defense contractor

Rep. Renzi Sponsored Legislation Financially Benefitting His Father

Federal authorities in Arizona have opened an investigation into whether Rep. Renzi violated any laws by sponsoring legislation that benefitted his father’s employer, ManTech International Corp. In 2003, Rep. Renzi sponsored legislation (signed into law in November 2003) that earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars to his father’s business while, according to environmentalists, devastating the San Pedro River. Rep. Renzi claimed he introduced the measure to prevent the closing of the Fort and to promote its enlargement. Notably, neither the fort nor the river is located in Rep. Renzi’s district.

A key beneficiary of Rep. Renzi’s legislation was ManTech, a Fairfax, Virginia based defense contractor where Rep. Renzi’s father, Retired Major General Eugene Renzi, is an executive vice president. ManTech had $467 million in contracts at Fort Huachuca with options for an additional $1.1 billion between 2004 through 2008. In addition, the company was the largest contributor to Renzi’s 2002 congressional campaign and the second largest in his 2004 campaign.

http://www.beyonddelay.org/node/94

[Qutzupalotl]

25. A Renzi scheme.

Sorry, couldn't resist.
:spank:

[yellowcanine]

26. That guy even looks like a crook. Too bad he isn't running for reelection.

[santamargarita]

27. Bye Bye, asshole

K&R

[Ian David]

28. Oh, Ricky you're so screwed! You're so screwed you rotten dude! Hey Ricky! Hey Ricky! n/t

[skipos]

32. Best friends forever...

[ashling]

34. Congressman Indicted for Fraud, Extortion

Source: ABC

A federal grand jury in Arizona has indicted three-term Republican Congressman Rick Renzi and two of his business associates on charges that include wire fraud, money laundering, insurance fraud and extortion.

***
Read the indictment filed in Rep. Rick Renzi's caseThe 35-count indictment alleges that between December 2001 and March 2002, Renzi embezzled $400,000 in insurance premiums from a company that he owned and transferred the money to his congressional campaign.

***

The lawmaker is also accused of enriching himself by compelling a copper mining interest, referred to as "Company A" in the indictment, to buy a parcel of land from his associate James Sandlin in exchange for his sponsorship of legislation sought by Company A.
When negotiations for the sale were stalled, Renzi allegedly told Company A "no Sandlin Property, no bill."


Sandlin owed Renzi $700,000 for property and paid $733,000 to Renzi when the sale went through, the indictment alleges. Prosecutors say Renzi failed to disclose the debt and the payment, something that he as a member of Congress is required to do by law.


Read more: http://www.abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/LawPolitics/story?id=4331174&page=1

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Another McCain official

[WCGreen]

35. Another one bites the dust...

And another ones gone and another ones gone...

[panader0]

36. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

:sarcasm: The land in question is close to where I live. With McCain in trouble, Renzi indicted, and more I can't remember, Arizona may be turning blue.

[azndndude]

37. The Congressional District he represented covers parts of the Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation is already 95% BLUE! CD 1 covers most of NE AZ, Which is all mostly Indian reservations. Renzi's seat is up for grabs as 6 Democrats are running for his office.

[razors edge]

38. In related news...

Sun rises, wood warps. That is all.

[Greeby]

39. You may as well indict the whole Repuke Party on those charges

And that's just for starters

[Turbineguy]

40. I've lost count

and I don't remember when I lost count.