Posted on 04/27/2007 12:24:07 AM PDT by Omega Man II
Renzi could soon resign U.S. House seat
The Business Journal of Phoenix - 3:58 PM MST Thursday, April 26, 2007
by Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal
U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., could soon step down in the wake of a federal investigation into his involvement in a federal land swap deal and FBI raids of an insurance agency owned by his wife.
His resignation could come as early as Friday or soon after, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Top Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, have been meeting to discuss what they will do if Renzi resigns and his rural congressional seat opens up.
Republican leaders also are starting to encourage Renzi to resign, saying a prolonged investigation will hurt the party's chances of holding onto his Arizona seat, according to knowledgeable sources.
Democrats also are preparing for a Renzi exit. Cottonwood attorney Jim Ledbetter is among those being recruited by party leadership to run for Renzi's seat in a possible special election.
The federal investigation is looking at Renzi's involvement in a land swap deal including a possible payment by a former business partner, according to The Hill newspaper. The Wall Street Journal reports that a grand jury has been convened in Tucson to investigate Renzi.
The congressman has denied any wrongdoing in the matter. His office did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Democrats are keeping the pressure on Renzi and are looking to link the investigation to the resignation of Paul Charlton as U.S. attorney for Arizona. Charlton was pushed out of that post after the November elections, along with several other federal prosecutors.
Ledbetter is a conservative Democrat, favoring gun rights and a federal ban on some late-term abortions. He said it would be best for the district if Renzi stepped down soon.
Ledbetter said Thursday he is traveling to Washington to meet with Democratic congressional and campaign leaders. He said he already has spoken with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and U.S. Reps. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Adam Schiff of California about a possible run for Renzi's seat.
Renzi's district has a slight Democratic voter registration edge, but it is rural and socially conservative and has gone for the GOP in recent years. It includes Casa Grande, Flagstaff, Sedona, Payson and Prescott.
Other possible Democratic candidates include former Casa Grande Mayor Bob Mitchell, Arizona Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick and Pete Rios, Arizona Sen. Rebecca Rios, state Environmental Quality Director Steve Owens, former Phoenix TV reporter Mary Kim Titla, consultant Fred DuVal and shopping center developer Jim Pederson.
Possible GOP successors to Renzi include former Arizona Senate President Ken Bennett, Arizona Rep. Bill Konopnicki, and rancher and Republican booster Steve Pierce.
The hits on Republicans just keep on coming. Jeesh.
Any connection to Harry Reid’s land deal?
Arizona is such a sleazy, slimy political cesspool. (But it’ll be a relatively smokefree one after the first of May.)
Meanwhile, Bill “Cold Hard Cash” Jefferson and Harry “Jack Abramoff’s Best Rodent Friend” Reid remain in DC...
Harry Reid’s land deal, connected or not, should have the same result. Funny how only the “party of corruption” requires consequences when corruption occurs.
Who knows.
We keep calling the RATS criminals, but the way it looks to me the GOP is just as bad. The only difference is the Republicans are too wimpy to force the corrupt RATS out of office!
I just love the fire in the belly of the Republican leadership these days. They're really taking on the Democrat operatives.
< \sarcasm>
That’s why Butch won a second term.
Only Republicans are guilty. Dems skate free all the time.
I've noticed that too.
If Dennis Hastert not defended Jefferson, he probably would have been gone.
Looks like there’s gonna be a special election this year.
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