Former Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi, who was indicted on 36 counts of corruption in February 2008, now faces an additional five charges, The Hill reports.
The newspaper explains:
The government added a conspiracy to commit insurance fraud charge to the indictment. Explaining the charge, the government argued that Renzi, co-defendant Dwayne Lequire and others willfully embezzled funds and premiums from a risk retention company called Spirit Mountain to pay Renzi's "substantial personal expenses."
A superseding indictment was filed in late September.
Renzi's trial was supposed to begin last month but has been stuck in pretrial wrangling.

TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com

tiowally
October 7, 2009 10:20 AM
Pretrial wrangling? Isn't that a euphemism for plea bargaining?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
kenga
October 7, 2009 12:15 PM
I think it's more admissibility of evidence.
The more damning evidence that is allowed, the more desperate the urge to make a plea arrangement.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Cosimo_rondo
October 7, 2009 12:49 PM
Ahh, remember the good old days in the run up to the 2006 election when Hot Karl was leaning on the AZ U.S. Attorney to say publicly that there was nothing to the Renzi investigation, and they refused, and then Fredo's Do"J" kinda leaked that misinformation to the MSM, who published it, and Renzi got re-elected? Good times. I suppose when you're Hot Karl or Fredo, Renzi really doesn't seem all that criminal.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?