Congressman in Abramoff probe says he won't resign(says 2 more members of congress have had raids..)

[maddezmom]

Source: McClatchy

By David Whitney
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Rep. John Doolittle, bucking pundits in The Wall Street Journal, The Sacramento Bee and other newspapers, said Thursday that he wouldn't resign his seat in the House of Representatives because investigators were looking at his wife and him in the ramped-up federal corruption investigation arising out of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.


"There is no way I am stepping down," Doolittle declared in a telephone news conference with California reporters. "I am not resigning. Absolutely not."


The California Republican suggested that the Abramoff investigation soon could spread even wider.


Doolittle said he had information from sources he wouldn't name that federal agents had executed search warrants recently against two other members of Congress - a Republican and a Democrat - in raids that hadn't become public yet. He said he thought that those raids were related to the Abramoff probe.


The Justice Department refuses to comment on the investigation, not even acknowledging that the FBI raided the Doolittles' house last month.


Doolittle said prosecutors thought that Abramoff had used Julie Doolittle's business, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, to funnel money to the congressman in exchange for him helping the convicted lobbyist's clients.



Read more: http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/17174770.htm?source=rss&channel=krwashington_nation

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Doolittle, wife form separate defense funds
By David Whitney - Bee Washington Bureau
Published 2:45 pm PDT Thursday, May 3, 2007

WASHINGTON - Rep. John Doolittle, insisting Thursday that his political career is far from over, said that he and his wife will form separate legal defense funds to fight the ramped-up federal corruption investigation arising out of the Jack Abramoff scandal.

The separate funds, Doolittle said, will allow he and his wife Julie, whose consulting business has ensnared them in the investigation, to solicit contributions from people and businesses to pick up their escalating legal costs.

He said the separate funds are necessary because the Justice Department believes "there is a potential conflict of interest between my wife and me."

Doolittle also said he will not resign his House seat because of the inquiries.

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/166390.html

[Riverman]

1. Doolittle sounds like Nixon. He might as well say

"I am Not a Crook." Ba Bye!

[jamesinca]

2. Far from over

"Rep. John Doolittle, insisting Thursday that his political career is far from over," November of 2008 is far away, I agree it is far from over. Then I doubt you will meet with constituents during the winter break as you will not return to DC in January so what do you care. So I guess you are right, between now and January of 2009 that is a far way away, that makes your career far from over.

[maddezmom]

3. Ex-Aide Could Be Liability for Lawmaker(Kevin Ring)

~snip~

Kevin Ring, Doolittle's one-time legislative director, quit his lobbying job last month, the same day FBI agents raided Doolittle's Virginia home. They had a search warrant for a fundraising business run there by Doolittle's wife, Julie, that had done work for Abramoff's firm.

~snip~

Ring, a 36-year-old married father of two, figures prominently in his former boss' connections to Abramoff, a friend of Doolittle's who gave the congressman campaign cash and use of his sports box. Doolittle, who has denied wrongdoing, tried to advance the agendas of Abramoff's clients both in Congress and with the Bush administration.

What Ring tells prosecutors could determine Doolittle's fate.

"The incentive for the subordinate to cooperate is to save his own skin by implicating a superior," said Kenneth Gross, a political law attorney in Washington.

Doolittle's chief of staff, Richard Robinson, and Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra declined to comment for this story, and Ring's attorney, Richard Hibey, didn't return calls

more:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/04/AR2007050400284.html

[truthisfreedom]

4. He won't give up because he has so many loose ends to tie up, and he won't have access to do that

if he steps down. He's obviously on a tear, trying to cover his tracks and set up elaborate blackmails for his "friends" involved in this criminal activity to make sure they don't talk.

In other words, he's stalling.

[maddezmom]

5. hopefully, they will drag him away screaming

Ring is going to sing, IMO. :)

[diamidue]

6. He means it too!

The man is an arrogant little pitbull. He definitely will fight this with every thing in his power. However, doesn't it seem like the GOP in his district is already flirting with the idea of running news commentator, Tom Sullivan in his place next election? I suspect they know that Doolittle is damaged goods - regardless of how this plays out.

[donkeyotay]

7. A lot of people have resigned lately. Does this mean justice is back in business?

Coughlin recused himself after years of stonewalling the investigation?

Coughlin appears to be the first Justice Department official to come under scrutiny in the wide-ranging probe that has implicated a veteran congressman, a deputy Cabinet secretary, a White House aide and eight others. Abramoff has pleaded guilty to three counts in the corruption probe and could face up to 11 years in prison.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to respond to any questions about the Abramoff investigation because it is still ongoing. Spokesman Bryan Sierra, however, confirmed Coughlin had resigned. He also said Coughlin had recused himself from the Abramoff investigation.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/columnists/david_whitney/17145860.htm