Interview: Ousted Arizona U.S. Attorney ‘Satisfied’ Renzi Indictment Moved Forward
Interview: Ousted Arizona U.S. Attorney ‘Satisfied’ Renzi Indictment Moved Forward
Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) on 35 charges of corruption, including extortion, wire fraud, and money laundering. The Renzi case gained attention as part of the U.S. attorney scandal, and whether Paul Charlton’s aggressive investigation of this Bush supporter led to his dismissal as Arizona’s U.S. attorney.
Yesterday, ThinkProgress spoke with Charlton — who is currently practicing law in Arizona — about the Renzi indictment:
I was satisfied in the sense that it represented a lot of very hard work by prosecutors and agents here in Arizona, but you’re always disappointed when an individual, like Congressman Renzi, is indicted. It represents a real failing in the system.
A few weeks before the 2006 midterm elections, Renzi’s top aide, Brian Murray, made a potentially illegal call to Charlton’s office, pressuring him on the “pending indictment.” Charlton confirmed to ThinkProgress that he is currently cooperating with the Justice Department Inspector General’s investigation on this issue, and unable to comment on the politicization of the case.
Renzi has repeatedly charged that the Justice Department’s investigation into him is full of “lies.” In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Renzi’s attorney “said prosecutors may have rushed the indictment for political reasons.” Charlton noted that such statements by Renzi “will go down someday as a terrific definition of irony.”
He also added that since the attention to the U.S. attorney scandal last year, “things have improved at Justice,” but the damage still remains:
I think there are some lingering doubts. For example, the Department of Justice used to be an institution whose motives were never questioned, and now when people make allegations about political prosecutions, they gain traction, and that’s unfortunate.
The main reason for these improvements? According to Charlton, it’s the fact that “many of the people who worked under Attorney General Gonzales and Attorney General Gonzales himself are no longer there.”
UPDATE: Emptywheel has a timeline of Charlton’s firing and the Renzi investigation.
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It represents a real failing in the system.
As does the fact that this inposter president and his criminal administration are not being held accountable for their crimes.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:49 amRenzi has repeatedly charged that the Justice Department’s investigation into him is full of “lies.†In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Renzi’s attorney “said prosecutors may have rushed the indictment for political reasons.â€
What “political reasons” ?
Renzi , you’re from the same crappy political party that has been entirely partisan and has had control over the entire US government and the Justice Dept. for almost 8 years now ; what could possibly motivate anyone to bring you down ?
Who the hell are you ? Just a typical GOP’er , believing you’re one of the best and brightest ; when you’re actually just one of the worst and most stupid ?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:50 amWe have seen some improvements in the justice system because of the removal of Gonzales and his cronies. However, the Justice Department will not improve. The election of a Democrat will simply result in continuous charges that the Democrats are attempting to politicize the Justice Department. The assault will be carried on by constant attempts to institute congressional investigations on little or flimsy basis. A right wing media circus will howl if the Democratic Congress fails to investigate or make hay if an investigation is started. The Republicans have long ago learned to merely attack your enemy for committing your signature crimes. Their purpose is to undermine the publics’ confidence in the political system. Both sides are dirty – the Republicans are justified in taking advantage when they are in control.. Of course, a Republican president will take his election as a green light to continue the type of Justice Department envisioned by Bush.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:54 amIn a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Renzi’s attorney “said prosecutors may have rushed the indictment for political reasons.â€
He means they rushed to avoid an indictment for political reasons. One of the questions that gets overlooked is how many republicans have not been indicted during this adminstration.
For instance: how could rush have been caught smuggling drugs into the country, while on probation, and not been charged? How many other crimes flew under the radar because there was an (R) next to the perp’s name?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:56 amThose AZ Republican’ts really roll crooked, don’t they? Maybe their license plates should read “Gangsta State”.
35 counts!? Mr. Renzi was one industrious little fraudster, wasn’t he? Maybe he and Jack Abramoff had a bet going or something.
The RNC should be procsecuted as an “ongoing criminal enterprise” – do they do anything else, besides threaten the public with death-by-terror?
“Scare people, get money, smear the opposition, repeat” – look mom!! I’m a top GOP strategist!!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 11:57 amOT: Dems refuse to end the use of signing statements. Hillary & Obama declined to say they would put an end to this heinous subversion of the law. I was leaning toward Obama, now I might rethink that. check it out at http://www.therawstory
February 25th, 2008 at 11:57 amFreaks, Flacks, Corrupt Cronies and Hacks.
Government?
Hell, no.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:01 pmGee. What a surprise.
A Democrat can be thrown in prison on the basis of flimsy testimony from a severely compromised witness, and a State Attorney General can be fired for prosecuting a Republican on the basis of a solid 35-count case.
Welcome to Amerika!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:02 pmComment by Leftside Annie — February 25, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
I’ll second that! And it’s good to see these U.S. Attorneys landing on their feet and able to share their story of relief, while these repubs are slowly being held accountable despite their best efforts to skirt the system.
They have no remorse and no regard for their fellow citizens.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:19 pmRepublicans are beyond reprehensible! They have turned us into the country that tortures, and turns our justice system into a Kangaroo Court.
Uncle Ho, I feel your pain and agree that both Hillary and Obama should renounce the criminal act of signing statements but at the same time a part of me thinks that they should continue all of the illegal activities of the current administration for the 1st half of their term only to show the Repugnicunts just how outrageous a practice it is, but I’m sure that they wouldn’t learn the lesson that it’s wrong no matter who or which party does it so they should just denounce and reverse everything that the current administration has done illegally.
Still it would serve the repug’s right to have to live with it as we have. It just goes to show what a slippery slope that we have been put on by the congresses lack of oversight. If it was good for the goose, it’s going to be hard for the gander not to do it!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:19 pmIt’s tactics like that described on 60 Minutes last night that lead me to believe that the U.S. will be a full fledged Dictatorship by this time next year.
I hope I’m wrong.
A∞Ω
February 25th, 2008 at 12:27 pmThe RNC should be procsecuted as an “ongoing criminal enterpriseâ€
Comment by tombaker — February 25, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Whoa… is this a call for… RICO!????
RICO! RICO! RICO!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:33 pmGood stuff, TP!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:35 pmI hope that everyone votes for the only “True Progressive” in this race, Ralph Nader. Nader is the father of the Progressive movement and deserves our support.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:36 pmAnother one bites the dust. How much farther can the GOP sink?
February 25th, 2008 at 12:46 pmhttp://newsprism.wordpress.com
OT: Dems refuse to end the use of signing statements. Hillary & Obama declined to say they would put an end to this heinous subversion of the law. I was leaning toward Obama, now I might rethink that. check it out at http://www.therawstory
Comment by Uncle Ho — February 25, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Dems will need every arrow int he quiver to properly pursue and prosecute the pile of filth that has collected in the Bush shitpile. I don’t want them to give up signing statements until Rove, Bush, Cheney, et al, are behind bars or in the noose.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:19 pmRenzi better hope they get this over and he gets a sentence before Obama takes office.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:53 pm