Doolittle Aides Subpoenaed in Probe

[BrotherBuzz]

Source: AP

Doolittle Aides Subpoenaed in Probe

By ERICA WERNER – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — GOP Rep. John Doolittle's chief of staff and deputy chief of staff have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in a federal probe into ties between Doolittle, his wife and jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The grand jury subpoenas from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia were issued to Chief of Staff Ron Rogers and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Blankenburg. They were announced on the House floor as Congress returned from its August recess Tuesday after the aides informed House leaders about the subpoenas, as required under House rules.

The aides told House leadership they had not yet determined how to respond to the subpoenas.

FBI agents raided the Virginia home of Doolittle, R-Calif., in April looking for information about a fund-raising business his wife ran that did work for Abramoff.

Doolittle, a nine-term incumbent, has denied wrongdoing but he subsequently stepped down from his post on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. He has numerous ties to Abramoff, including accepting campaign cash from the lobbyist and intervening on behalf of Abramoff's Indian tribe clients.



Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5inp7X1oojvxaGTXIHnpTVQ6aGIRA

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I believe Doolittle is feeling the heat.

[atreides1]

1. They respond by going

The aides told House leadership they had not yet determined how to respond to the subpoenas.

Did somebody tell them they could get "Executive Privilege" too?

[tularetom]

4. I had the same reaction

WTF do they mean they had not yet determined how to respond to the subpoenas.

For years I was the city engineer. Every time there was a serious car accident on one of our streets I got subpoenaed. I could not even begin to guess how many hours I wasted sitting on my ass in court rooms, I guess I (and our legal department) were all too stupid to realize I could have just claimed exec privelege. Oh well I was salaried I got paid anyway.

[jamesinca]

10. Tom, hello from FresNo

Or the city image building slogan of FresYes.:hi:

[tularetom]

14. Right back atcha

We don't get to Fresburg very often these days but we do go there to get a decent restaurant meal once in a while.

[olddad56]

5. there is probably a clause in the Patriot Act that provides all GOP executive privilege.

[acmavm]

2. Feel the heat? I hope they get first degree burns.

[maddezmom]

3. nice!

K&R

Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:

[AlCzervik]

6. Oh don't resign John, please drag this out for as long as possible.

[BrotherBuzz]

7. There are times when a little Schadenfreude is appropriate

This is one of them!

:rofl:

[catgirl]

16. He shouldn't have been elected in the first place

His connections to Abramoff were known before the elections.
Only sleazeballs would vote for him.

[robinlynne]

8. do it do it do it! That's why they fired the san diego prosecutor....

editing to add: I may have gotten my attorneys mixed up.

[kineneb]

9. getting out the popcorn - this is gonna' be fun

:popcorn:

I would like to see everyone connected with Abramoff cooling their heels in the slammer... for a veeeeeeery long time, if possible. Maybe Do-little will get a cell next to Songbird Cunningham; maybe they will sing duets.

[BrotherBuzz]

11. Survey Data Shows Doolittle has Big Mountain to Climb

Survey Data Shows Doolittle has Big Mountain to Climb

by Jon Fleischman - Publisher
9-4-2007 5:48 am

This is a particularly tough time for Congressman John Doolittle. Doolittle is in the midst of dealing with the taint of an FBI investigation of Congress that has included family business dealings with now-disgraced and imprisoned ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Our hearts to go out to John and his family at this time. In America, we have a strong tradition in our courts that you are innocent until you are proven guilty. I would tell FR readers that having known John for nearly two decades, I don't believe that he is guilty of any crimes. That having been said, Congressman Doolittle is facing a trial -- but it is in the court of public opinion... And at a time when the public's bias is not in the favor of Washington politicians.

DOOLITTLE'S NEGATIVES OVER 50%

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to see some results of some polling that was done recently in Congressional District 4. The survey, taken by very reputable pollster Chris Wilson of Wilson Research Strategies was taken of 600 voters in the District. This is the first time that I have seen any objective polling numbers that tell of the very large uphill battle facing Congressman John Doolittle in his bid for another term, and outline some significant trouble for the GOP in the General Election next year if Doolittle is the nominee. Let me remind FR readers that this particular U.S. House seat was specifically drawn to elect a Republican and has always been considered a "safe" seat...

* In a one-on-one match up, if the election were held today, Democrat Charlie Brown gets 51% of the vote to Congressman Doolittle's 31%.
* Those surveyed were also asked if they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Doolittle. Respondents came back with 28% favorable and 56% unfavorable.
* In the survey, GOP primary voters were asked whether Congressman Doolittle should run for another term. 33% of those asked said he should. A staggering 50% said that the Congressman should either resign or should not run again.

<more>

http://www.flashreport.org/commentary0b.php?postID=2007090404482937

Hoot!

[olddad56]

12. the sheep that live in his district would re-elect him if he were in jail.

he was under investigation when they re-elected him last year. Charlie Brown is a good man and they still elected this clown. The people in his district, by in large, will vote republican regardless. But, in my district, we will vote democrat regardless.

[BrotherBuzz]

13. The republican that wins the seat won't be Doolittle

More from the White-wing article...

Over half of voters in California's 4th Congressional District have an unfavorable opinion of John Doolittle, and in a new survey, he gets trounced by a Democrat next November. Thus Doolittle has the challenge of his political life -- proving to his party that he is the right standard bearer to keep the seat in GOP hands...

<snip>

DOOLITTLE'S CHALLENGERS - THE GAINES CANDIDACY

Until just a few days ago, Doolittle was looking at two relatively unknown primary challengers -- a councilman from the city of Auburn by the name of Mike Holmes, a self-described moderate, and Iraq War veteran Eric Egland, a conservative who claims to have raised over $100,000 in his bid. As of last Thursday, however, the primary field has become a lot more crowded with the entry of popular conservative Assemblyman Ted Gaines. Gaines brings a lot more to the table in terms of fundraising ability, and name I.D. The freshman legislator served for many years as a member of the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

I caught up to Gaines, and asked him why he was forming an exploratory committee looking at the 4th CD, and he told me, "John Doolittle creates a problem for our party in terms of being victorious and keeping a seat in 2008. Even if he wins the primary, I think it will be very difficult for him to win the seat in November."

Gaines went on to express his concerns about a Democrat getting elected, "I am concerned about losing the seat to a Nancy Pelosi clone like Charlie Brown. This is a conservative seat, and it should be represented by a Conservative."

<snip>

It remains to be seen whether Congressman Doolittle will be able to mount a successful defense against his primary challenges -- especially the considerable threat posed to him by the very able Assemblyman Gaines. But the bigger question in the minds of everyone I talk to is whether Congressman Doolittle can demonstrate sooner than later that he can win a general election battle, without a speedy and quick end to this federal probe (I worked in law enforcement for many years, and have never found the Feds to be speedy about anything they do). Unfortunately for Congressman Doolittle, he is caught up in a terrible situation. Voters, and especially Republican voters, are more cynical now than ever. Thanks to Duke Cunningham, Tom Delay, Mark Foley, Bob Ney, William Jefferson, Larry Craig and so forth, even the perception of impropriety can erect an unassailable barrier to re-election.

<more>

http://www.flashreport.org/commentary0b.php?postID=2007090404482937&authID=2005081622025042&post_offsetP=0

[trashcanistanista]

15. I agree that they probably won't run

Doolittle in the next election. Rumors have been floating around for months about this. Placer Co. Democrats are out in force to see to it that Charlie Brown wins the seat. He is not a Pelosi clone, he is a great person and will make a wonderful representative for this district. I live here unfortunately, and it won't be a landslide, but I think Brown will win easily despite the redness of this district. He has been out campaigning since June and his campaign is picking up steam. This will be one hot race, I can assure you! As always, if you are in or near this district, we can use all the help we can get!:-)

[annabanana]

17. Media will only cover Graig's "comeback". . .not this. . . .n/t

[BrotherBuzz]

18. Sacramento television and press covered the story

Doolittle's district is hearing the story. I'm thinking national MSM will pick it up when the investigation goes 'Critical mass'.

In the mean time, Doolittle has an albatross hanging around his neck, and as Martha Stewart says, "That's a good thing".

[AlCzervik]

19. local media has been covering this, the Sacramento Bee has stories on Doolittle

all the time, maybe the nationial media has fallen down again but not the local media.