I won’t even pretend to hide my delight at the news of Dick Renzi’s long-anticipated indictment. There was a strong appearance of political interference by the White House to stave off Renzi’s just deserts by firing Arizona USA Paul Charlton during the pendancy of his investigation of Renzi’s dealings, so it is much to the credit of Diane Humetewa, the new Arizona USA, that she persevered and put this prosecution at the top of her agenda despite the obvious interest of the Bush Administration in making this matter go away.

Of course, that interest has become much more costly now that Bush’s fingers were burned in the Attorney-gate scandal, and the benefit of continuing to support Renzi’s criminal lifestyle had diminished markedly once the GOP was no longer fighting to maintain a majority in the House. These factors undoubtedly combined to give Humetewa the breathing room needed to do her job without undue political pressure. The very fact that such political considerations can even be contemplated to have been a factor in the prosecution of public corruption are just one more of the many damning indictments of this Administration and the ethics of the modern GOP.

“Among the allegations contained in the indictment, Congressman Renzi misused his public office by forcing a land sale that would financially benefit himself and a business associate, and in so doing, he betrayed the trust of the citizens of Arizona,” stated U.S. Attorney Diane J. Humetewa. Here’s Humetewa’s press conference presenting the indictment:

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Learn more about the indictment and what it means for the McCain campaign after the click…