Despite the front page taking credit... you can check out my diary here about the Renzi resigntation that is supposed to happen TODAY or I started to hear yesterday that he may wait till Monday.
Rum, Romanism & Rebellion- Arizona's PREMIRE poliitical blog
Breaking: Renzi Gone By Friday?
Rick RenziThe zeitgeist both in Phoenix and Washington is that Rick Renzi will be submitting his resignation from the House of Representatives by Friday.
Cool...I got that one out there before Josh Marshall.
A further bit of chisme has it that Ann Kirkpatrick will resign her seat in the legislature early next week and announce her campaign to replace Renzi.
more below...
Then this happened this morning:
Espress Pundit is this conservative blogger in Arizona who enjoys messing with us. To be fair, the conservative bloggers have been around a lot longer than we were , until Rum Romanism & Rebellion.
This is what he had to say:
Renzi Update
A source in Washington just emailed me to say that the rumor on The Hill is that the Renzi resignation is imminent. Meanwhile, Mike Sunnucks of the Business journal has a good overview of the candidates in the race to replace him. Mike and I each thought of Bennett and O'halleran, but his list includes Konopnick while excluding Mayes.
His Democratic list is more complete than mine.
Possible Democratic contenders include former Casa Grande Mayor Bob Mitchell, real estate developer and former state Democratic Party Chairman Jim Pederson, Sedona attorney Ellen Simon, Pinal County Attorney Carter Olson and former Phoenix TV news reporter Mary Kim Titla. Simon ran against Renzi in 2006 and Bob Mitchell is the brother of Tempe/Scottsdale Congressman Harry Mitchell.
The word that we have all been hearing in Arizona is that the D.C staffers were looking for jobs and that is how it all started here. Well, the same thing is happening here as well apparently. Several Renzi staffers were seen in downtown Phoenix meeting with GOP Lobbyist shops for new jobs.
Me thinks this is the end.
UPDATE
Fox 11 Arizona Predicts the end:
GOP, Dem candidates in the wings as Renzi probe continues
Republicans and Democrats are marshaling potential candidates to run for Rep. Rick Renzi's congressional seat in case the Arizona Republican bows to pressure to resign in the wake of an FBI raid last week on his family business.
Renzi has denied all wrongdoing and has said he will serve out his term. State Republicans also say they support him.
But Republican Party operatives already are floating the names of potential candidates for his seat, including former state Senate President Ken Bennett, a sign that they are preparing in case Renzi decides to step aside.
Members of both parties are contemplating a special election to fill Renzi's seat if he resigns mid-term.
"It clearly concerns us that as this investigation goes where it may head to," Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen said. "We're watching it very carefully. I feel for Rick and his family - tough times for him."
"What's important here is to see how House Republican leadership is handling the situation," Pullen added. "They're ... clearly thinking ahead. Any sense of impropriety is not good."
In an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press late Wednesday, he added: "I am honored to have recently been re-elected, and I'm looking forward to continuing to serve the people of the 1st District for the next two years."
But by stepping off his committees and taking himself out of the party's fundraising program, he is effectively cut off from key tools congressmen use to raise money and pass legislation.
The investigation also is flaring up as Republicans are trying to recover from scandals that contributed to losses in 2006 and cost them control of Congress.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, has made it clear that all ethically challenged Republicans will face severe consequences.