Another House GOPer to retire

Posted: Thursday, August 23, 2007 6:16 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, 2008

From NBC's Mark Murray
Roll Call reported this afternoon that Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., has decided not to seek re-election, "ending months of speculation regarding the ethically clouded congressman’s political future."

"Renzi’s retirement announcement adds to a list of GOP Members planning to depart upon the conclusion of the 110th Congress, including Reps. Ray LaHood (Ill.), Deborah Pryce (Ohio) and Chip Pickering (Miss.), as well as former Speaker and Rep. Dennis Hastert (Ill.)."

"But while some of those retirements and the open seats they are creating could cause problems for the Republicans’ hopes of recapturing the majority, Renzi’s departure could help the GOP by allowing them to nominate a replacement that is free of the ethical baggage that appears to have ultimately undone the Congressman’s future."

Despite that, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Crider issued this statement: “Rick Renzi is following the Republican Conference corruption playbook -- both Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham announced they were ‘retiring’ before they pleaded guilty and resigned. The people of Arizona’s First Congressional District deserve to be represented by someone who puts them first and is free of criminal and ethical scandal.”

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Comments

On the bright side the Republicans can take solace in the fact that they are not losing their best and brightest. A chance for real moderate conservatives who put America first over party to get in? One can hope.

nuanced (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 6:53 PM)

The Republican Party is over and a "huge" mess is left. Thank you George and Karl you did us proud !

We told you so (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:35 PM)

Come over to the "new" Party. The party of "change" the Democratic Party.

Where it's happining...hillaryclinton.com (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:37 PM)

Renzi wants to spend more time with his defense attorneys.
Mmmm, is that chickenhawk on the grill?

Bob, Denver (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:37 PM)

Another sleazy Repugnant retiring under a vale of corruption which means a possible democrat and one more seat majority.

juan,ft lauderdale,fl (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 9:23 PM)

another card in the house falls. it's appropropiate that they are all bailing as dubya exits.

Larry Kinser, Milwaukee, WI (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 9:44 PM)

Jennifer Crider is an idiot. Typical liberal answer:

nancy pelosi
harry reid
dianne feinstein
hillary clinton
john murtha
william jefferson

now we need to get rid of a few criminals on the democratic side.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 12:05 AM)

ThThThaThaThats all folks!!!!!Another rotten repub down. Wow Rove was such a genius!

bb (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 8:19 AM)

Retire him to a jail cell. They should start charging repuks more taxes just to support the increased population of criminals in our prisions.

HOT DAM (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 8:47 AM)

Retire him to a jail cell. They should start charging repuks more taxes just to support the increased population of criminals in our prisons.

HOT DAM (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 8:48 AM)

GOP. The party of values. POTUS is their leader.

Flat-earther, Georgia (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 9:13 AM)

And yet, because of the Democrats total incompetence, the Republicans will keep the WH and win back Congress next year.

Dems the Breaks (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 9:50 AM)

Another one bites the dust.

Amazed, Atlanta GA (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 9:57 AM)

Keep fantasizing dems the breaks. Maybe if you close your eyes and think real hard...oh wait, republicans can't do that. Your party is f----- and Bush and Cheney are to blame- the two morons you voted for, remember?

bb (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 9:59 AM)

These won't the the last GOP retirements. These clowns were part of the do nothing, politics as usual class that are either too tainted or can't handle not having power. Their ranks need to be washed out, and allow more humble GOP representatives to take their place.

CJ (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:13 AM)

Dems the breaks will be crying in his martini on election day. HA,HA! Perfect name for you too.

F StLouis (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:34 AM)

Jerry, I'll give you that William Jefferson's position looks bad and if he is in fact guilty as charged he needs to go. The others are nothing but smears by the Republicans. As opposed to Ney, Cunningham, Foley, Safavian, Abramoff... This is a game you don't want to play. It only brings attention to the corruption of your own heroes.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:36 AM)

Come on, what are you waiting for. Take a looksie.....hillaryclinton.com

Bill C., (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:44 AM)

True to form, jerry did not comment on the issue at hand, a Republican, and changed the subject to repeat talking point #37. So predictable, so boring. I could write a computer program called jerry and you could not tell the difference -- it would pass the Turing test.

nuanced (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:46 AM)

Ha!Ha!Jerry another one of you goes down in flames! Crash and burn just like your party.

bb (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:47 AM)

Dems the Breaks -- it has already been proven that the incompetence lies with the voters. They are guilty of being too gullible and naive. The last 6 years have been an education for the voters that is unlikely to make them more disposed to vote Republican. If as you say incompetence disqualifies a candidate, how did GWB get elected?

nuanced (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:53 AM)

Dems the breaks and Jerry are the lone surviving "Bush" supporters. "The Republicans will keep the WH and win back Congress next year" ... lets see ..they were responsible for the biggest government this nation has ever seen and responsible for the deaths of more than 3700 americans (and counting) in Iraq ... Bush has dug the 2008 GOP grave and they are just falling into it one by one. Why do they think they are retiring ..because they know they can't win .... the party if over boys. Lick your wounds and deal with it

Ricardo in California (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 10:57 AM)

You hillaryclinton.com zombies are starting to get on my nerves. I have voted Dem all my life, but I'm not deluded into thinking that the Democratic party has always been the answer to America's problems. At this point in time, yes it is; the damage to our country is great after years of Republican indifference to the well being of everyday Americans. Any of the current democratic candidates would improve the situation, and I'm not sure that Clinton is the best of the lot. Let's hold off on the coronation for a while and see what develops.

Pete Caloger Bushkill, PA 18324 (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 11:13 AM)

"Another one bites the dust...."--Queen

Dorothy (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 11:35 AM)

We're just saving up all the indictments of democrats to just before the election. ssssshhhhh

Karl Bahahahaha Rove (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 11:41 AM)

leave it to the media to try and make the dems look as corrupt as the republicans

dems are the future (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 11:48 AM)

What was his crime, anyway ??
Is he a GOPER or a GOOBER ??
Is there a difference

Sorry, jerry
You can leave William Jefferson on that list. And add Alcee Hastings.
But, none of the rest belong with our Republican 'friends' !!
(the FBI is breaking up that old gang of mine)
Did you see the Time magazine expose on Rudy Guiliani ? He may not be Clark Kent, after all!

Sierra, San Francisco (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 12:29 PM)

Dems the breaks will be crying in his martini on election day. HA,HA! Perfect name for you too.

It won't be a martini, but champagne, that's what you use to celebrate. At least Hillary will be giving her concession speech around 10:00pm eastern - so we won't have to stay up too late, and will be fresh for work in the morning. You welfare queen supporters of Hillary can sleep in the next morning (mourning?), and then try to sober up in the afternoon.

Dems the Breaks (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 1:33 PM)

Hey Pete, scared of a little woman are you?

G (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 1:35 PM)

Dorothy, It takes two baby . Me and You

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 2:36 PM)

I find it interesting that these people on here that keep telling us who not to vote for are probebly the same people who voted for the shrub twice. Democrates support Hillary if you want a winner!! The smart people on here seem to be, -- Van, bb, Susan Miami, Ollie, Carrie NE Iowa, HP Boston, blue state baby, juan, and I'm sure I left out some.

Sidney, Pa (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 2:56 PM)

If as you say incompetence disqualifies a candidate, how did GWB get elected?

I would imagine because the people that voted looked at the alternatives to GB, and saw a greater degree of incompetence.

You see, there are degrees to incompetence. Everyone is afflicted to some level. It would appear that the Democrats have it worse then the Republicans. And, there is a difference to being incompetent, which the Republicans seem to be at times, and insane, which seems to be a constant state for the Democrats.

And, nuanced, never ever call the voters gullible or naive. Seems to be a real tenet of the left to do that. Just because you don't agree with how someone votes, it doesn't give you the right to question their intelligence. You need to get over yourself if you really do think that way.

Besides, this is the same shell game Hillary, Edwards, Biden, and Dodd, are trying to pull - "Oh, the mean evil Republicans lied to us about the intel information, thats why we voted for the war - we should have questioned it more, but we were naive and gullible.". Give me a break. These are not stupid people, frankly they are all very intelligent. Just because you're insane like these people are, it doesn't make you not intelligent.

Dems the Breaks (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 3:00 PM)

Dems the Breaks -- neither gullible or naive means unintelligent; don't put words in my mouth. Often very intelligent people are the most gullible -- just ask the scam artists. Intelligent people who have been fooled learn by their mistakes and are less likely to be fooled again, thus that is why I feel the voters are less likely to be fooled again. Only idiots don't learn from their mistakes and keep swallowing as gospel truth the lies from people who have been proven to be serial liars. Take a look in the mirror.

Interesting that you did not defend GWB's competence.

nuanced (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 4:08 PM)

Please, please please, Democrats - Vote for Hillary!!

Thank you.

R. Cheney, Wyoming (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 4:09 PM)

"Dems the Breaks" have you looked at the recent FOX News polls .. you are sorry a%# party doesn't have a chance in '08, your current leader, loser Bush has already sealed the GOP coffin for the '08 election ...your champagne will have no bubbles to speak of in '08 ..... like I said before ..the GOP who are "retiring" are doing so because they know they can't win ... the radical right wing is DOA ....

Ricardo in California (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 4:24 PM)

IMHO Democrats are just as scandalous as Republicans so Democrats shouldn't gloat too much.

Bob, Milwaukee, WI (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 4:54 PM)

Dems the breaks, what nuanced is telling you is you have been conned by Bush, which makes you gullible AND you are unintelligent as well... because you still believe in the little mongoloid(Bush). Keep writing though, we'd love to keep making fun of you.

Susan, Miami (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 8:52 PM)

Hey Sidney, right on and add your name to that list, and John b and F Stlouis, R Cheney and Ricardo and HOTDAM too.

bb (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 8:56 PM)

Sidney, you forgot Van the man and JeanneGA and G,and me- and theres alot more.

AOwaytogoOhio (Sent Friday, August 24, 2007 8:59 PM)

Finally, I get to participate in the great "GOP Abstinance Only" policy. NO MORE BUSH, NO MORE DICK!
I'll be voting for the party that really cares...

Library Geek, Tennessee (Sent Friday, February 22, 2008 1:08 PM)

Hear the one about the Republican and Democrat that go out for dinner...The Republican excuses himself and heads out the door...the Democrat has to pay the bill or do dishes...

J Grealis (Sent Friday, February 22, 2008 4:22 PM)

Hey lets all start refering to the Republican Party as the "Repup" party. They disrespect the Democratic Party by refering to it as the Democrat Party.I say Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

loris bay (Sent Tuesday, March 04, 2008 7:17 PM)

Are the Republicans,"cut and running"?
To use cheney's quote, The Republican Party is going to be "schock and awed" in November.

Enrique,Tallahassee,Fl (Sent Tuesday, March 04, 2008 8:42 PM)

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