Upon learning that Rep. Giffords sent her Chief of Staff, Maura Policelli to meet with DFA/Tucson about impeachment, the Pima County GOP issued a press release which stated: "Gabby Giffords’ Chief of Staff Maura Policelli tonight will be the special guest at a meeting of the Tucson chapter of Democracy for America, a far left-wing … Read more
The following is based on allegations and purported evidence contained in the US Attorney’s indictment, not personal knowledge. Renzi and others named in the indictment are considered by the law to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law – but that’s lawyer-blather for "he’s guilty as sin, we just gotta get 12 folks to see what’s plain as day."
There are two major conspiracies at the heart of the case against soon-to-be-former Representative Rick "Dick" Renzi: how he stole from his own insurance clients to buy his way into Congress in the first place and then lied repeatedly to try to cover it up, and how he then abused his office to bully legitimate businesses into a shake-down and kick-back land deal to cover his own debts and then lied to cover that up, too.
Continue reading about what the indictment means after the click…
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:
Learn more about the indictment and what it means for the McCain campaign after the click…
Congressman Jeff Flake, representing Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, is notorious for his anti-pork crusading. How appropriate then that he should take a sear on the House Appropriations Committee to take his war on Earmarks to a whole new level in the belly of the beast itself? If there is a such thing as a useful … Read more
John Shadegg is giving his announced retirement a second thought now that 140 or so of his colleagues, and some of his potential replacements, have asked him to stay. The Congressman from CD 3 has learned to act like a starlet who threatens to walk off the set in the middle of filming in order … Read more