Renzi Pleads Not Guilty, Will Not Resign

US Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday made his initial appearance in US District Court in Tucson and pleaded not guilty all charges; Renzi was indicted on February 21 on 35 counts including conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion, money laundering, and insurance fraud. The indictment covers two separate alleged frauds; in one, Renzi and James Sandlin, a former business partner, are accused of using Renzi’s office to extort investors trying to obtain mineral rights; in the other, Renzi and Andrew Beardall are accused of embezzling funds from his Renzi’s wife’s insurance agency and using those funds to finance his congressional campaign for the 2002 election. Renzi had previously announced he would not seek reelection and has removed himself from three congressional committes, but he announced after his Tuesday appearance that he would not resign. US Magistrate Judge Bernardo Velasco set a trial date of April 29. Arizona Daily Star story here, AP/WSJ ($) here.