Pro-Life Groups Hit by GOP Lawmaker's Alleged Fraud

Renzi Funneled Hundreds of Thousands from Pregnancy Crisis Centers to Fund First Run for Congress

By JUSTIN ROOD

March 8, 2007—

Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., allegedly defrauded dozens of pro-life organizations for hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund his first congressional bid, according to an analysis of the recent indictment against him, a state insurance claim and an interview with an insurance lawyer involved in the case.

When federal prosecutors indicted Renzi, 49, on 35 felony counts two weeks ago, many reports focused on alleged crimes stemming from a complicated series of land swaps the congressman facilitated.

But the indictment also accuses Renzi, who ran an insurance firm before coming to Capitol Hill, of misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance premiums and using the money to fund his congressional campaign.

Organizations such as Arizona Right-to-Life, the Hope Crisis Pregnancy Center and the Wickenburg Pregnancy Resource Center paid insurance premiums to Renzi's insurance firm, Renzi & Company, but received notices their insurance coverage was going to be cancelled for nonpayment, according to a 2003 complaint filed with the State of Arizona. The complaint was first reported by the Phoenix New Times.

According to the indictment, Renzi funneled those payments -- totaling more than $400,000 -- through various accounts and finally to his campaign.

The rest of the ABS News piece after the click.

My comment:

I wonder if St. John McSame knows, yet? After all, Renzi is/was is a member of Sen. John McSame's (R-AZ) National Leadership Team and a co-chair of his Arizona Leadership Team. I'm willing to bet the Right-To-Lifers, a foundation for the social conservative movement, are taking note of who fleeced them and his associations. Of course, McSame's comment: "It doesn't matter."

So let me see if I understand this correctly. One of Obama's ranking advisers is forced to resign from the Obama campaign for calling Clinton a "monster" while one of McSame's advisers steals hundreds of thousands of dollars from Republican supporters and "it doesn't matter"? WTF? Kinda makes you wonder what DOES matter. It sure gives some insight into the meaning of "leadership" on the right.