FBI Raids Renzi Family Business; Congressman Leaves Intelligence Panel
By Susan Davis
Roll Call Staff
Thursday, April 19; 10:04 pm
In a second blow to House Republicans this week, the FBI raided a business tied to the family of Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) Thursday afternoon as part of an ongoing investigation into the three-term lawmaker.
FROM ROLL CALL
********UPDATE*********
RENZI is one of the people under investigation that supposedly led to the firing of Arizona U.S Attorney Paul Charlton
If you don't remember, the allegations are that Renzi's dad and him are under investigation for possible corruption charges because of the military industrial complex link.
Renzi passes legislation, they give kick backs and sweet deals to his dad's firm.
I am looking for more stories, data for you all, but i wanted to get this diary out asap
UPDATE:
renzi
Representative Rick Renzi, R-Arizona
Representative Rick Renzi was elected to Congress in 2002. His campaign that year, according to a Federal Election Commission audit, relied heavily on loans — $369,090 worth — made using impermissible corporate funds.
In 2003, Renzi sponsored legislation (signed into law in November 2003) that dealt hundreds of millions of dollars to his father’s business while, according to environmentalists, devastating the San Pedro River. The provision exempted the Army’s Fort Huachuca base in Sierra Vista, Arizona from maintaining water levels in the San Pedro River as called for in an agreement made in 2002 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Renzi claimed he introduced the measure to prevent the closing of the Fort and to promote its enlargement. Notably, neither the fort nor the river is located in Renzi’s district.
A key beneficiary of Renzi’s legislation, reported the Phoenix New Times, was ManTech International Corporation, a Fairfax, Virginia-based defense contractor where Renzi’s father, Retired Major General Eugene Renzi, is an executive vice president. ManTech had $467 million in contracts at Fort Huachuca with options for an additional $1.1 billion between 2004 through 2008. In addition, the company, which has an office in Sierra Vista, Arizona, was the largest contributor to Renzi’s 2002 congressional campaign and the second largest in his 2004 campaign.
UPDATE #2
Think Progress
In a second blow to House Republicans this week, the FBI raided a business tied to the family of Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) Thursday afternoon as part of an ongoing investigation into the three-term lawmaker.
Details of the raid on Patriot Insurance Agency in Sonoita, Ariz., were not immediately available. Renzi’s most recent financial disclosure form lists the business as an asset belonging to his wife, Roberta, and valued at $1 million to $5 million.
Little is known about the inquiries into Renzi’s activities, but according to media reports the Justice Department has been running a two-track investigation into Renzi regarding a land deal, as well as a piece of legislation he helped steer that may have improperly benefited a major campaign contributor. It was not immediately clear which investigation the raid pertained to, and neither his attorney nor his spokesman could be immediately reached for comment.
As a result of the raid, Renzi is stepping down from his seat on the House Intelligence Committee, according to a statement from his office obtained Thursday evening by Roll Call.
"Today, the FBI came to my family’s business to obtain documents related to their investigation," Renzi said. "I view these actions as the first step in bringing out the truth. Until this matter is resolved, I will take a leave of absence from the House Intelligence Committee. I intend to fully cooperate with this investigation."
UPDATE: CREW has background on the two investigations into Renzi. There are also suspicions that Paul Charlton, the former U.S. Attorney in Arizona, was purged in part because of his probe into Renzi’s activities. (Gonzales was asked about Charlton today.)