2/25/2008 8:11:00 PM Renzi won't resign: Local party leaders aren't sure he should
The Daily Courier/File
Congressman Rick Renzi listens to then-City of Prescott Fire Chief Darryl Willis answer Renzi’s question of “How much money do you need?” at the 2006 Arizona Wildfire Academy at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott.
A defiant Congressman Rick Renzi sent out a written statement Monday saying he won't resign in the face of a 35-count federal indictment.
"I will not resign and take on the cloak of guilt because I am innocent," Renzi said in the written statement Monday afternoon.
He seemed to indicate he would be able to continue his remaining duties in Congress because he has attorneys representing him.
"My legal team of Reid Weingarten and Kelly Kramer will handle these legal issues while I continue to serve my constituents," Renzi said. His statement consisted of only these two sentences.
A grand jury in Tucson issued the 35-count felony indictment against Renzi and two of his business partners Thursday, on the day of his father's funeral.
The indictment accuses Renzi of telling companies interested in federal land swaps that they had to buy a parcel along Arizona's San Pedro River from his former business partner James Sandlin in exchange for his support as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee. Click on the link below to see a copy of the 26-page indictment.
When one company bought the land, the indictment says Sandlin then paid Renzi about $733,000 that he had owed Renzi since Sandlin bought Renzi's share of some land in the Kingman area. Renzi failed to disclose those earnings in his 2005 Congressional Financial Disclosure Statement, the indictment charges.
The indictment also accuses the three-term congressman of embezzling more than $400,000 in insurance premiums from non-profit groups to boost his campaign coffers during his first run for Congress, then lying to state investigators about it.
House Republican Minority Leader John Boehner is pressing for Renzi to resign.
So is the Arizona Democratic Party and at least one Congressional District 1 candidate, Democrat Howard Shanker.
Arizona Republican Chair Randy Pullen issued a vague statement saying, "I believe Rick will do what is best for his family, constituents and party."
Yavapai County party leaders, including the Democratic chair, feel torn over whether Renzi should resign.
Their consternation partially stems from the fact that Congressional District 1, which includes all of Yavapai County, will have a new representative in less than a year anyway. The primary election for the seat is on Sept. 2 and the general is Nov. 4. When an FBI raid on his insurance business became public in April 2007, Renzi soon announced that he would not seek re-election and he would give up his committee assignments.
Even if Renzi resigned today, the district wouldn't have a new representative until at least June. Gov. Janet Napolitano would call a special primary election within 75 to 105 days, then call a special general election within 35 to 45 days.
If Renzi decided to resign after May 4, his seat would remain vacant until a new representative took office early next year following the regular elections.
"I have mixed feelings," Yavapai County Democratic Chair Ben Furlong said. "It might be just as well to wait."
If Renzi resigned now, candidates would be running for special and regular elections simultaneously, and the special elections would cost plenty of money, Furlong said. The Secretary of State's office estimates a special election could cost about $1 million.
Furlong also noted that Congress will be in frequent recess during the latter half of this year, for party conventions in August and September as well as during the final campaign days of the primary and general elections.
"Can he do his job now? I don't think so," said Jan Smith, Yavapai County Republican Party chair. "There's no way under the circumstances that anyone could concentrate on their job."
One reason to resign would be to focus on his criminal case, Smith said.
"Obviously, I think he needs to defend himself to the hilt, but it doesn't look good," Smith said.
However, for many of the same reasons as Furlong, she is unsure whether Renzi should resign.
"It's kind of silly to have an election and then three months later have another election," said Malcolm Barrett Sr. of Prescott, a member of the Arizona Republican Committee who was its vice chair from 2000 to 2006.
At least Renzi can still vote on the floor, Barrett said. If he resigns, the district would go at least four months without any votes at all.
"There's no easy answer," Barrett said.
Barrett read the indictment and finds the charges "pretty substantial.
"He hasn't been convicted yet, although the indictment is troubling."
Posted: Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Article comment by:
Jon Elkin
Local party leaders? That is the GOP's most serious problem, it has no leaders, locally or nationally. The GOP went astray some time ago and is the process of morphing into a permanent minority party.
The Republican party no longer fairly represents me on any level and most of the Republicans (Shall I say ex-Republicans?)I know feel the same.
Posted: Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Article comment by:
yavapai_jo
"Is you is, or is you ain't my con-stitch-ency?" Bye Bye Rick.
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
Beuthen291
When do they arrest him? throw the handcuffs on him and arraign him before a judge like others charged with crimes. And to think I , and so many others were fooled for so many years into thinking the republicans were for the people, yes ,..their people the elitist rich and the fools who swallow their flag waving while they amass wealth legally or otherwise.
ArmyVet
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
alexander canyon
The people who elected Mr. Renzie deserve to have him finish out his term, as he should not only disgrace himself but those who voted for him. The accounts of this fraud were well published prior to his last election, yet many chose to vote for the R behind his name than look at a candidate from another party.
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
W. Lee Radu
It's nice of Renzi to stay on as the leading man for Republican corruption this election cycle.
It makes you wonder if Renzi will even be "asked" to surrender his other post -- State Co-chairman of McCain’s presidential campaign.
I'm sure a Senator with already two ethics reprimands documented on his formal record won't mind having a crook for a co-chair.
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
W. Lee Radu
It's really troubling that anybody would even consider still allowing a Congressman under a 35 count federal indictment to vote on binding legislation that could negatively impact Arizona Congressional District # 1 for many years to come. No votes would be undeniably better than Corrupt votes!
Renzi continues to disgrace our community, through his continued self-serving actions.
I think we should demand a legislative action be initiated to rescind his congressional pension, should he be convicted.
Felons aren't allowed to Vote, why should the taxpayers be saddled with providing a nice retirement for one?
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
Hannibal
District 1 sure got the short end of the stick! He (or the people who endorsed him) should pay the constituents some sort of restitution for every felony count he is convicted of or pleads guilty to.
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
Thinkaboutit
What a loser, If you have 35 charges against you at least 25% will stick. He is and was a sleaze bag. How can any real person stand up for him? He has not done anything for Dist 1 since his office was raided last year. Hopefully he will join another fellow Republican Duke Cunninhah, Senator from CA in Federal Prison. I don't know about you but I'm an Indie and this time I'm voting for a Dem. To many flies in the Republican ontiment. I can't think about more Republicans in DC.
You know that he has been in office the required 5 years and is is to get his pension of 80% of pay and full benifits for life, Right?? I don't know if they draw the pension in prison or after they get out. Food for thought?
Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Article comment by:
rlt
