Feds Conclude Ariz. Firing Not Tied to Renzi Probe

30 Sep 2008 // A Justice Department investigation says Paul Charlton apparently wasn't fired as U.S. attorney for Arizona because of his office's involvement in a criminal probe of Congressman Rick Renzi.

Investigators say Charlton apparently ended up being ousted primarily because his push to require FBI agents to record interviews and his attempt to get the department to reconsider a decision to seek the death penalty in a criminal case.

The report says officials denied any link between Charlton's ouster and the Renzi investigation. And investigators say they found no documents or e-mails that the Renzi case had anything to do with Charlton's appearing on a firing list about a year after the Renzi investigation began.