Have you ever heard of that phrase that the friends you keep are in some ways a reflection of your own character? Well apparently John McCain just got the news, since he dumped Rick Renzi off his list of national co-chairs for his Presidential campaign (the less mirrors the better, right?). Of course the maverick only dropped him once he was indicted on thirty-five counts of wire fraud and other corruptive practices employed in upstate Arizona. Despite all that, the two still share more than just living in Washington, D.C> in the Grand Canyon state.
McCain is determined to stay the course in Iraq for a hundred years or however it takes. He'll bomb, bomb, bomb Iran and then try to take everything back after he pinned his hopes on convincing America that the surge worked (thats Mr. Straight-Talk Express for ya). Well Renzi is also determined to stay the course, that course would be the rest of his term in Congress, despite being an indicted man.
From RawStory:
An indictment unsealed Friday contends that Rick Renzi, a three-term Republican congressman, engineered a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner.
"I will not resign and take on the cloak of guilt because I am innocent," Renzi said through his press office in Washington, D.C. He added his lawyers will handle the accusations against him as he continues to serve his constituents.
The indictment was the result of a federal probe that put Renzi under a cloud of suspicion for more than a year.
In all, Renzi is charged with 35 counts including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, insurance fraud and extortion. His arraignment is scheduled for March 6.
"The cloak of guilt?" Whatever happened to respecting Congress by stepping aside while the court case is in progress? So much for honoring the Legislative branch and most importantly, his constituents in Arizona's first district. How would you like a suspected felon representing you in Congress? And how does McCain feel about someone closely connected to him being indicted over conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, insurance fraud and extortion staying in office and subsequently keeping the story alive?
Well McCain has his own ethical/criminal problems to deal with, so the Renzi situation might have to take a back seat here.
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