Law enforcement calls it “tickling the wire”, an old trick in which investigators leak something or arrest someone and hope people will respond by getting on a wiretapped phone and talking.
By ARTHUR H. ROTSTEIN
Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz. – A lawyer for Rep. Rick Renzi of Arizona has accused the Justice Department of leaking an investigation over a land swap as a way to push Renzi into revealing details on his wiretapped cell phone.
Renzi attorney Reid Weingarten told a federal judge in Tucson that the leaks to media amount to misconduct. A prosecutor said the government investigated the leaks but couldn’t find a source.
The accusations came in a hearing on the retiring Republican’s request to have corruption charges dismissed.
