CNN

The Justice Department annnounced an indictment against Arizona Rep. Richard Renzi Thursday.

(CNN) - Rep. Richard Renzi of Arizona has been reindicted on 43 criminal counts by a federal grand jury in Arizona, adding racketeering and tax allegations to previous charges, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

The superseding indictment stems from a land deal that allegedly netted Renzi more than $700,000 in exchange for supporting legislation. It comes as Renzi, a Republican, prepares to leave office and face a criminal trial.

He announced he would not seek re-election after he was indicted last February.

Three other defendants also were named in the new indictment.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Rep. Rick Renzi, an Arizona Republican first elected in 2002, will retire when the 110th Congress comes to a close in 2008.

“I will not be seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008,” Renzi said in a prepared statement. “I am honored and thankful to serve Arizona’s first district and appreciate all that we have accomplished together over the past 6 years.”

Renzi is the fifth Republican in recent months to announce plans to leave Congress. Ohio Rep. Deborah Pryce, Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, Mississippi Rep. Chip Pickering and Illinois Rep. Dennis Hastert have also said they will not seek reelection. Hastert served as House speaker before Democrats took back control of the House in 2006.

Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, said it will be one of his top priorities to keep this Arizona seat in GOP hands.

Read the rest of this entry »