Why hasn't anything been mentioned about Congressman Doolittle

[INdemo]

and his syphoning of Campaign funds to his wife through a PAC set up with her as the manager..Other Repubs say this is perfectly ethical and legal..There seems to be a Cunningham connection. I dont know all the details but it seems to be a pretty easy way to increase the household income....Caution..Democrats should never try this because it would then be illegal.

[dubeskin]

1. Please, please, please save our district!!!!!!!

Yes, hopefully there is a Cunningham connection. Please get rid of this guy.

[OneBlueSky]

2. probably because the corruption in Washington is so pervasive . . .

it at times becomes nothing more than "white noise" . . .

[Robbien]

3. The corporate media isn't following it, but the muckrakers

over at Josh Marshall's site has been closely following and investigating the story.

articles on Doolittle here:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/cats/john_doolittle/

Main site for scoop on all the people the muckrakers are following:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/

[Garbo 2004]

4. July 11 WaPo article on Doolittle:

Lawmaker Criticized for PAC Fees Paid to Wife

By Jonathan Weisman and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, July 11, 2006; A01

In the past two years, campaign and political action committees controlled by Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.) paid ever-larger commissions to his wife's one-person company and spent tens of thousands of dollars on gifts at stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany & Co. and a Ritz-Carlton day spa.

The use of such committees, especially "leadership" PACs, for purposes other than electing politicians to Congress is a common and growing phenomenon, but campaign finance watchdogs say Doolittle has taken it to new heights.

Doolittle's wife, Julie, a professional fundraiser, has collected 15 percent of all contributions to Doolittle's leadership PAC and additional commissions on contributions to his campaign committee -- a total of nearly $140,000 since 2003, according to Federal Election Commission records.

"I don't know if there's anything comparable," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a watchdog group that called last month for an investigation of Doolittle by the House ethics committee. "If this is okay, it is a road map for how to convert substantial sums of campaign money to personal use."

The committees have spent money they raised on friends and supporters, recording at least $40,000 in gifts, flowers, club memberships and stays at romantic inns. Doolittle's Superior California Federal Leadership Fund reported purchasing gifts from Bose Corp. worth $2,139, while his campaign committee has reimbursed him and his wife for nearly $5,000 in purchases from Best Buy Co. and a $1,000 trip to Saks Fifth Avenue in Baltimore. Campaign records do not list the beneficiaries of the gifts and trips financed by the committees.

Full article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071001164.html?nav=rss_email/components