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As featured on p. 218 of "Bloggers on the Bus," under the name "a MyDD blogger."

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Down Goes Renzi! Down Goes Renzi!

Yet another Congressman raided by the FBI.

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.

Details of the raid on Patriot Insurance Agency in Sonoita, Ariz., were not immediately available. Renzi’s most recent financial disclosure form lists the business as an asset belonging to his wife, Roberta, and valued at $1 million to $5 million.

Little is known about the inquiries into Renzi’s activities, but according to media reports the Justice Department has been running a two-track investigation into Renzi regarding a land deal, as well as a piece of legislation he helped steer that may have improperly benefited a major campaign contributor. It was not immediately clear which investigation the raid pertained to, and neither his attorney nor his spokesman could be immediately reached for comment.

As a result of the raid, Renzi is stepping down from his seat on the House Intelligence Committee, according to a statement from his office obtained Thursday evening by Roll Call.


In the interest of bipartisanship, I should mention that a district staffer to Rep. William Jefferson was subpoenaed for testimony this week. But that makes it about 30-1 or something.

The 109th Congress is going to go down in history, man, I can sense it. You think they can a quorum in the federal pen?

Connection to the US Attorney scandal: the federal prosecutor in Arizona (Paul Charlton) was removed and wondered if it was because he started the ball rolling on the Rick Renzi investigation.

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