RenziGate Roundup 2/25

Dick issues statement announcing his intent to keep his seat:

“I will not resign and take on the cloak of guilt because I am
innocent. My legal team of Reid Weingarten and Kelly Kramer will handle
these legal issues while I continue to serve my constituents.”

Democrats respond that Dick is denying constituents a voice:

"With the tacit consent of Arizona Republicans, Renzi is
preventing the residents of the First Congressional District from
having a voice in Congress. If the Arizona GOP is serious about
eliminating corruption from their party, they should call on Renzi to
step down – immediately."

Arizona GOP Chairman Randy Pullen gives what can be read as either support or gentle encouragement to step down. I read it as so neutral as to be damning:

“I extend the sympathies of the entire
Arizona Republican Party family to Representative Renzi and his family
again on the recent death of his father, the esteemed General Eugene
Renzi. In light of the announcement on Friday of Congressman Renzi’s
indictment, I believe Rick will do what is best for his family,
constituents and party.”

PolitickerAZ rounds up some reactions to Dick’s ‘cloak of guilt’

Dick says Hell-No-I-Won’t-Go to calls for resignation and insists he will stay in office while fighting charges: "Renzi Refuses ‘Cloak of Guilt,’ Vows to Keep Seat" (free reg. req.)

Renzi indictment could put independent ethics oversight of Congress back on the agenda: "From the New York Times Blog, The Caucus"

Conservative Arizona blogger Greg Patterson (EspressoPundit) chimes in on the Renzi indictment on NPR: "Arizona GOP Congressman Renzi Indicted for Fraud" (audio stream)

Wally Edge at PolitickerAZ speculates that Renzi is using his refusal to resign and implausible insistence of complete innocence as the only bargaining chips he has to defend himself and ratchet up pressure on GOP to get him a deal: "Why Renzi is not Resigning"

Jim Kouri of National Ledger has an excellent condensation of the case against Dick that is in many ways superior to my own human-readable indictment: "Rick Renzi and Associates: Extortion and Money Laundering Charges"

The Mojave Daily News notes the irony in Dick’s attacks on Democrat George Cordova’s business ethics in 2002: "Charges of improper business dealings come full circle for Renzi"

PolitickerAZ notes that their own informal polling among ‘leading Arizona Republicans" detects a lack of support for Renzi remaining in office: "Renzi no longer a McCain co-chair"

My take: the next really interesting news will likely be that Renzi has resigned – I don’t think he’ll manage to hold on much longer without his party’s support – though Idaho guy held on. The media, the blogs, and prominent Republicans aren’t indicating that anyone has the belly to fight for Dick, other than Dick and his paid shysters. Thus, a special election is quietly gearing up in CD 1 with Ann Kirkpatrick very well-positioned to win, considering her bankroll and the scandal likely to pox the GOP.

Local GOP leaders are said to be hopeful of attracting state legislator Bill Konopnicki back in the race because of the deep pockets he’s accumulated with his fast food franchises (which many in the GOP criticize him for, because he wants to moderate the 2007 employer sanctions law – presumably to avoid having any of his own restaurants’ licenses yanked). Konopnicki and his wife contributed $2,600 to Dick’s campaign, even after the FBI investigation was made public – sure to become a major campaign issue if he’s the GOP nominee.

Sydney Hay and Kris Mayes continue to look scrappy, but they can’t self-finance the way Konopnicki can. Renzi will be arraigned soon and the surrender if probably being quietly negotiated as I type.

I think he’ll probably be admitted to bail, though it does seem to me that he’s something of flight risk, considering his shady, mysterious, some even suggest "spooky" past. He seems to be good at flying under the radar if he wants to, in any case; something that should give a judge pause before releasing him on his own recognizance.