Posted on 04/20/2007 7:13:24 AM PDT by Alter Kaker
In a second blow to House Republicans this week, the FBI raided a business tied to the family of Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) Thursday afternoon as part of an ongoing investigation into the three-term lawmaker.
Phoenix, Arizona - Republican Rick Renzi's family business was raided by the FBI in connection with an ongoing federal investigation. Republican Rick Renzi's family business was raided by the FBI in connection with an ongoing federal investigation.
Renzi was forced to step down temporarily from the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday.
The Arizona Republican said in a statement issued late Thursday night that the FBI took several documents.
"I view these actions as the first step in bringing out the truth," he said.
"Until this matter is resolved, I will take a leave of absence from the House Intelligence Committee. I intend to fully cooperate with this investigation."
The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, said agents went to the Patriot Insurance Agency in Sonoita. In a financial-disclosure statement filed last May, Renzi reported that his wife, Roberta, owned the agency. He valued the business at $1 million to $5 million.
According to the Arizona Republic newspaper, the Justice Department has been investigating Renzi for months, but the subject of the inquiry has never been made public.
Did he have a freezer full of FBI cash too?
Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
Sonoita is little more than a crossroads town in southern Arizona. North of Patagonia, west of Huachuca City and south of nowhere, who would have thought it had an insurance agency worth so much? Something tells me Renzi is in trouble.
As a Louisiana resident for a mere 60 years, I have observed the time it has taken for the FBI to tag our low-life Congressman, DollarBill Jefferson. And the FBI has him on tape taking a bribe and found the loot in his icebox. Renzi will probably be eleigible for a pension by the time the FBI conducts a new investigation based on the Jefferson example.
The FBI also raided the home of California GOP Congressman John Doolittle, apparently in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal.
And no thanks to Denny Hastert, Jefferson is still in Congress, and not behind bars. Both parties suck.
Why is Jefferson’s investigation stalled and Renzi’s on the front burner?
I was there a year ago. They have a fair sized Border Patrol installation with a large fenced in parking lot. The chain link supported a large banner sign “we’re Hiring”
In Doolittle’s case, both he and his wife are facing possible indictment, and Doolittle resigned from the Appropriations Committee yesterday.
Or missing billing records?
The Democrats claimed that Alberto Gonzales fired US Attorney Paul Charlton in order to quash the investigation of Renzi. In order to show he wasn't trying to do that (and keep his job), it would seem that Gonzales put the Renzi investigation on the fast burner.
Shaking my head.
We really need to clean House big time.
Doolittle and Renzi need to retire.
Nobody knows. The FBI hasn't revealed what the investigation is about, and Renzi isn't talking.
It is sad that House Republicans didn’t learn a thing from 2006. They would like to push all their failings on Bush and Iraqi when it was their greed that knocked them into the minority.
I am sick and tired of selective investigation. Jefferson from LA was could with 90k of bribe money in his freezer and he is still in Congress.
Yet William Jefferson (D-LA) is still safely in Congress.
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