Congressman indicted on charges of extortion, wire fraud, money laundering, and more

[ck4829]

Republican Rep. Rick Renzi was indicted Friday on charges of extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other matters in an Arizona land swap scam that allegedly helped him collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in payoffs.

A 26-page federal indictment unsealed in Tucson, Ariz., accuses Renzi and two former business partners of embezzlement and conspiring to promote the sale of land that buyers could swap for property owned by the federal government.

Renzi is a three-term member of the House. He announced in August that he would not seek re-election. Attempts to reach Renzi by phone on Friday through his congressional office in Flagstaff and his lawyer were unsuccessful.

The indictment accuses Renzi of using his position as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee to push the land swaps for business partner James W. Sandlin, a real estate investor from Sherman, Texas. It comes after a lengthy federal investigation into the land development and insurance businesses owned by Renzi's family.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_go_co/congressman_indicted

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. & MCCAIN... WHERE IS KEATING ?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2008/02/renzis-record-s.html

[SpiralHawk]

2. republicons & corruption go together like...

PB & J

[Bobbieo]

3. Mary Kim Titla, a San Carlos Apache, is running for Congress from Renz's Distrtict 1.

if she is elected Titla will become the FIRST Native woman to serve in Congress.

Go Mary Kim!!!!

[Happyhippychick]

4. P.S. This is McCain's co-chair in AZ

[wryter2000]

5. I thought so

Begala on Momma's show this morning said McCain's co-chair had been indicted. What a great bunch.

[Nevilledog]

6. Renzi's office is right next to mine.

My secretary and I decided to walk over and give them our condolences...NOT! I actually was pretty fired up to point, look and laugh. Funny enough, there's a hastily written sign on the door saying that the staff is gone due to an emergency.... bwahahahaha.