Another day, another House Republican facing a criminal investigation

October 25, 2006

We’re well past the point in which House [tag]GOP[/tag] [tag]scandals[/tag] are embarrassing; we’re now quickly approaching farcical.

Federal authorities in Arizona have opened an inquiry into whether Representative Rick Renzi introduced legislation that benefited a military contractor that employs his father, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

The officials said the inquiry was at an early stage and that no search warrants had been issued, suggesting that investigators had yet to determine whether there was a basis to open a formal investigation or empanel a grand jury.

Mr. [tag]Renzi[/tag], 48, a Republican who represents the First Congressional District, is a former insurance executive and real estate investor who was first elected in 2002. Almost from the start, he has been a target of citizen watchdog groups who have accused him of ethical laxity in office.

How dubious has Renzi’s conduct been? He’s one of those rare [tag]House[/tag] [tag]Republicans[/tag] to face two criminal investigations at the same time.

Two separate investment groups had land swaps in Arizona that needed federal approval, something for which a lawmaker like Renzi would be instrumental in obtaining. (Swaps are deals where private investors trade tracts of land the government wants — for conservation purposes, perhaps — for government-owned tracts which can be sold or developed.)

Both groups say Renzi told them to buy an unrelated parcel of land as a part of their deal, which was owned by James Sandlin, a political backer and onetime business partner of Renzi’s.

Both groups have since come to believe that Renzi had an inappropriate financial connection to that proposed land sale — possibly a financial stake — which he did not disclose when he pitched them on it.

And now, of course, federal investigators are conducting a probe of this land deal as well.

Let’s add some context to all of this.

Just how many House Republicans have faced criminal investigations, already been indicted, or worse, already been convicted?

* Tom DeLay (R-Texas)

* Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.)

* Mark Foley (R-Fla.)

* Bob Ney (R-Ohio)

* Curt Weldon (R-Pa.)

* Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.)

* Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.)

* Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.)

In most Congresses, a lawmaker here and there will run into some trouble, but eight members of the same party, in the same chamber, in the same year?

I’ve mistakenly believed the Republican-led House has been incapable of doing much of anything lately. I was wrong — they’re really good at committing crimes.

Yea, this Congress has proven to be worse than the Bloody Shirt Republican Congress during the late 19th century. What scum! -Kevo

  • * Tom DeLay (R-Texas) – Resigned in disgrace

    * Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) – Resigned in Jail

    * Mark Foley (R-Fla.) – Resigned in disgrace

    * Bob Ney (R-Ohio) – Retired from Congress

    * Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) ???

    * Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) ???

    * Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) ???

    * Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) ???

    What was that atricle I read yesterday about Abramoff? Oh yeah, he was given a desk at the FBI so he would have a place to put his stuff while he spilled his guts about all the bribery and illegal dealings he was involved in. I have never been happier to be neither a Republican nor a Congressman.

    Couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch.

  • and yest if I bring this up to my father, his response will automatically be “yeah but what about the Jefferson guy with the money in the freezer? – they all do it”

  • I have a question: I think if you sell this point to Republicans, one plausible answer is, “well yeah but that’s all just because they run everything. If Democrats were in power, they’d be liable to scandals too.”

    So I think that list, great as it is, needs a little context. So maybe consider the following questions for a weekend edition: How rare is it for a member of Congress to be convicted of a crime? How many Democrats since 1980 (or pick a year) have been arrested/indicted/convicted? How many Republicans? How bad is this crop of corrupt officials actually?

    If there were a post about that, I’d forward it to everyone I know. (And if there already is such a post, please say so.)

  • Did the Gambino Crime Family have that many members?

    I wish the DNC would put together a compilation commercial of these crooks and blast it into every close race until the election. It’s when you get a critical mass like this that a lot of people will decide “OK, that’s it. These guys gotta GO”.

    Martin, the hard core Republicreep will always believe that Dems would do worse, no matter what. There’s no way to prove otherwise to them, so don’t bother. Ask them if Saddam was involved in 9/11, and you’ll get an equally frustrating answer. They’re voluntary mushrooms, they like to be kept in the dark and fed crap.

  • The list of scandals is disgraceful. But it keeps growing. Just this morning, Rice and Rumsfeld stole my food (again). They’re eating it in the closet like they own the place. Get them out of my apartment!

    –Shimmy

  • Time once again to rev up the Red-Handed ReThuglican Response-O-Matic. Please select as many as necessary:

    1. Lies, lies I tell you. Propogated by the liberal media!
    2. Only a terrorist would look into my business dealings.
    3. Don’t insult my integrity or I’ll pop you one!
    4. This investigation is politically motivated!
    5. I’m not listening to youooooo! La la la la!
    6. Convenient and Selective Memory Loss.
    7. I was drunk, please forgive me.
    8. At least I’m not Nancy Pelosi.

  • It would be fair to throw Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., into this list. Why stop with only Republican crooks? Its obvious that corruption is a subsidiary of Republican Hegemony.

    However, Democrats aught to make a showing of how they intend to clean house, no matter what party they belong to. Without that statement, I believe that voters will simply expect Democrats to be just as corrupt given a few years of incumbency.

  • “Democrats aught to make a showing of how they intend to clean house” – Jon Karak

    You mean like taking away William Jefferson’s committee assignments, like Nancy Pelosi did?

    Not ample proof for you? Consider the opposite. Coach Hastert puts Mark Foley in charge of the abused children caucus and lets him make the laws on internet child abuse.

    How can it not be clear it’s time to vote Democratic?

  • Lance, how many people you’ve talked to know that William Jefferson’s had $90,000 stuffed in his freezer?

    And when you explain to that voter that Rep. Jefferson’s committee assignments were taken away, do you honestly believe that he/she is going to say, “Gosh, I never knew Democrats were so serious about punishing crooked politicians.”

    Republican are going to get screwed Nov 7th for trying to play that game, let’s not follow their example.

  • Jon,

    If you want to have the House have a vote to expell Jefferson, that’s fine. There are a few Republican’ts who should be in line first, of course.

    You do know that the money in the freezer came from the FBI?

  • I’ve mistakenly believed the Republican-led House has been incapable of doing much of anything lately. I was wrong — they’re really good at committing crimes. — CB

    No, they’re not. Had they been, they’d not have been caught with their fingers in the cookie jar. They’re as inept at the life of crime as they are at governing the country.

  • Renzi is just one of a long list of “representatives” that we in the Flagstaff area have had to suffer with for years. The district has been carefully gerrymandered (surprise?) to make those in Northern Arizona virtually powerless. Renzi was a special insult. An utter carpertbagger (sorry CB) brought in to secure the seat for the Repugs, he has received the support of the powerful real estate crowd, the local Nascarman bunch, our flourishing religious-right, and even Native-Americans who have benefited from his earmark largesse.
    He appears to be unbeatable unless convicted. We may be witnessing the spawn of another DeLay. Sure makes us feel proud.

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