Rick Renzi, a former Republican congressman from Arizona convicted in 2013 over financial misconduct, has accused Special Counsel Jack Smith of pursuing a personal vendetta in the case against ex-President Donald Trump. Renzi, who served nearly two-thirds of a 36-month sentence and still claims innocence, voiced these allegations during an interview with conservative radio host Mark Levin.
Renzi claimed that Smith and prosecutor David Harbach, who worked on his own case, have had a longstanding professional association at the Department of Justice and the Kosovo war crimes tribunal. Recently, Harbach has represented the Special Counsel’s office in court proceedings against Trump, scheduled to be held in a federal court in Miami next May.
Drawing attention to Harbach’s career, Renzi mentioned his involvement in a number of high-profile cases, including the overturned conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and the unsuccessful prosecution of former Senator John Edwards. He also noted Harbach’s connection to ex-FBI director James Comey and his role in investigating Hillary Clinton’s controversial email case.
Renzi contended that Harbach withdrew from the Department of Justice amid the Clinton email scandal, only to be drawn out of private practice to target Trump. He asserted, “James Comey’s hit man is the guy speaking in the Miami courtroom to Judge [Aileen] Cannon. That’s James Comey’s revenge.”
Renzi, who was charged with diverting funds from his insurance company to finance his congressional campaign, and allegedly promised his vote on a mining issue in exchange for a land deal, has accused the prosecution of misconduct in his case. He claimed that his prosecution was politically motivated due to his rivalry with then-Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano.
Renzi was pardoned by Trump during the final hours of his presidency. He echoed Levin’s theory that Smith may be keen to prosecute Trump partly due to this pardon but suggested that the primary reason lies in Trump’s aggressive challenge to Washington’s established order, including the powers of federal prosecutors.
According to Renzi, Smith and his team have been strategically leaking information to the media to tarnish Trump’s image ahead of the trial, a tactic he claims Smith has utilized in previous cases. He also highlighted Smith’s connections to former Attorney General Eric Holder and former President Barack Obama’s inner circle, suggesting this as a reason for Smith’s involvement in the case against Trump.
Last month, Smith defended his decision to indict Trump, emphasizing the principle of equality before the law, but didn’t address why there were no charges brought against Clinton or President Joe Biden, who was reportedly found possessing classified materials long after his terms in the Senate and Vice Presidency.
