The Skinny noted this week that Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi had resigned from the House Intelligence Committee but was hanging onto his other assignments. Between the time we filed that report and it saw print, Renzi had already quit his other committees.

In the meantime, we learned from Paul Charlton, the dismissed U.S. attorney for Arizona, that he'd received a phone call from Renzi's chief of staff inquiring about leaks into an inquiry into Renzi's wheelings and dealings, which were briefly summed up in The Skinny this week. Arizona Democrats--and others--have suggested that Charlton was fired for launching the Renzi investigation, although the Justice Department has come up with several other reasons. We're sure Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is searching his memory for details about the Renzi investigation.

Now both lefty blog Rum, Romanism and Rebellion and righty blog Espresso Pundit are suggesting that Renzi is on his way out altogether. If that's the case, then the voters of District 1 will have a special election to replace him. Given the general mood toward the GOP these days, that could mean another Democratic pick-up in the House--and a Democratic majority of 5-3 in the Arizona House delegation.