By Mike Madden, Gannett News Service, June 15, 2007

15 Jun 2007 // Facing a federal investigation into his business dealings, Rep. Rick Renzi got an extension from House officials and won't have to file detailed information about his finances until next month.

Renzi, R-Ariz., was one of 70 House members to get permission to miss a May 15 filing deadline for personal financial disclosures. Forms filed on time were released to the public Thursday. Renzi has until July 16 to file.

The FBI raided his family businesses in April, seeking information in an investigation that has been under way for over a year. Federal campaign regulators also recently disclosed that Renzi had paid more than $320,000 in back taxes to help settle charges that his businesses improperly lent his campaign money during his first run for office in 2002.

Investigators are looking into land deals that would have been authorized by legislation Renzi sponsored. They are exploring whether a campaign contributor and former business partner of Renzi benefited from the real estate swaps.

Renzi has maintained he did nothing wrong, but he resigned from all three of his committee assignments after the FBI raids. His office did not respond to a request for comment about his personal financial-disclosure forms Thursday, nor did his lawyer.

But longtime critics said they weren't surprised about the extension.

"With someone who is under federal investigation, better that they're late than that they're wrong," said Naomi Seligman Steiner, deputy director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group that has Renzi on its list of most corrupt lawmakers. "I don't think he's trying to hide. A lot of his wrongdoing is already out. You can read it on the World Wide Web."

Renzi's filing should be available for inspection within days of the House receiving it.

Members of Congress are required to file annual financial-disclosure statements, but they can report their assets and liabilities in broad ranges rather than specific amounts. They do not have to report the value of their homes or their congressional salaries, which is $165,200 for most members. Members also are required to report trips paid for by others and any boards or foundations they may serve on.

The rest of the Arizona delegates filed their reports on time. Among the highlights:

• Rep. Jeff Flake, a Republican, reported that he and his wife, Cheryl, bought a rental townhouse in Provo, Utah, and a spec home in Lehi, Utah, last year, spending $250,001 to $500,000 on each. Flake also reported owning $50,001 to $100,000 worth of stock in computer and iPod manufacturer Apple Inc.

• Rep. Ed Pastor, a Democrat, reported taking a three-day trip to Honolulu and Kona, Hawaii, in January, paid for by the Association of Airport Executives. Pastor also went to Montego Bay, Jamaica, in late February, on a trip paid for by the nonpartisan Aspen Institute, a think tank.

The U.S.-Mexico Chamber Education Foundation also flew Pastor to Mexico City in late November.

• Sen. Jon Kyl, a Republican, filed dozens of pages of statements from Citigroup Smith Barney, his financial adviser, going well beyond the disclosure requirements.