Associated Press reports:
A land deal involving Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., is being scrutinized by the U.S. attorney’s office in Arizona, a law enforcement official in Washington said Tuesday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity while the inquiry is ongoing, said the investigation has been under way for a few months and is still in its very early stages.
The AP could not confirm which land deal Renzi was involved with that drew the interest of a federal prosecutor, but the wire service indicates it is likely the 2005 land swap in which Renzi acted on behalf of a political backer and business partner.
The land swap, in which private investors traded parcels of land with the U.S. government, was first reported by the Phoenix (Ariz.) New Times Oct. 12. Renzi’s lawyer told the AP the congressman “was not aware of any investigation,” according to the article.
The federal investigation involving Renzi has been rumored for several days now, but the AP story is the first to confirm any involvement by federal investigators in Renzi’s land schemes.
