Doolittle steps down from committee

Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) yesterday stepped down from his post on the Appropriations Committee following last week’s FBI raid of his Northern Virginia home.

In a letter distributed yesterday, Doolittle notified Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) of his intention to take a temporary leave.

{mosads}A source familiar with the situation said that while it was ultimately Doolittle’s decision to bow out, the “writing was on the wall” — i.e., if the lawmaker had not taken prompt action, the Republican Steering Committee and House Republican leadership would be compelled to handle the situation.

“I understand how the most recent circumstances may lead some to question my tenure on the Appropriations Committee,” Doolittle wrote. “Therefore, I feel it may be in the best interest of the House that I take a temporary leave with seniority from this Committee until this matter can be resolved.”

Boehner accepted Doolittle’s decision and expressed appreciation to the lawmaker for acting in the “best interests of the House and the American people.”

“John recognizes that if we are to succeed in restoring trust between the American people and their elected leaders, this action is necessary, and I commend him for having the courage to do the right thing,” Boehner said. “This is a difficult time for John and Julie, and my prayers are with them as they cooperate with this process and work to bring it to resolution.”

During his race for majority leader after Republicans sustained heavy losses in November, Boehner pledged to punish members of the conference who violate house ethics or are involved in public corruption.

Conference Chairman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) echoed Boehner’s remarks.

“[Ranking member] Doolittle has stepped aside and will not be serving on any other committee,” Putnam said. “He did the right thing and I’m glad he did it.”

The FBI searched Doolittle’s Oakton, Va., home April 13 as part of an investigation of the lawmaker and his wife, Julie. Doolittle’s former chief of staff, Kevin Ring, resigned Friday from his position at lobbying firm Barnes and Thornburg. Ring is suspected of playing a role in the Jack Abramoff scandal, hiring Doolittle’s wife while with Abramoff at Greenberg Traurig, a D.C. law firm.

Separately, as of January, Doolittle owed more than $136,000 in campaign debts, according to a federal election report filed earlier this year. As of his previous federal election filing report in late November, Doolittle was $39,000 in debt to Julie Doolittle’s company, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions. The nearly $97,000 in additional debt accrued in the last three days of November and the month of December, the period the Federal Election Commission (FEC) report covered.

Sierra Dominion shares the address of the Doolittles’ home, located off Chain Bridge Road in Oakton.

Partly due to speculation over his relationship with Abramoff, Doolittle only narrowly won his election last fall, coming within three percentage points of defeat.

Doolittle has denied any wrongdoing.

Throughout his campaign, Doolittle refused to return an estimated $50,000 he received from Abramoff clients, mostly tribes. Abramoff also personally donated $14,000 between 1999 and 2004 to Doolittle’s congressional campaigns. Doolittle used Abramoff’s luxury sports box for a fundraiser without initially reporting it to the Federal Election Commission.