Doolittle berates the FBI over raid on his Va. home

Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) called the FBI raid on his home unnecessary, unjust and possibly politically motivated in an op-ed published Saturday in a California newspaper.  

“The search occurred after my attorney had a meeting with the government, and I now believe that the search of our home was in large measure an attempt to strong arm my wife in order to get me to admit to a crime — a crime that I did not commit,” Doolittle wrote in the Auburn Journal.

{mosads}Doolittle was not home during the April 13 search, but said his wife, Julie, was confined to the kitchen as federal agents searched the couple’s Northern Virginia residence. The lawmaker said she was able to leave the room or use the restroom only if accompanied by an escort.

“The agents systematically searched our home, removing every book, turning over every couch cushion and every pot and pan, and rummaging through every drawer, file cabinet, cupboard and closet,” Doolittle wrote.

The search warrant was issued for materials pertaining to Julie Doolittle’s business, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, which shares an address with the Doolittles’ Virginia home.

Doolittle said agents removed not only files, but also personal items such as his wife’s iPod and cell phone.

“Julie’s personal journals, sensitive information about our two children, phone lists and personal files were all taken and have yet to be returned,” he wrote in the opinion piece.

He added that agents left behind files describing work done for imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff, which, according to
Doolittle, contained detailed legal and legitimate business information.

Doolittle alleged the search was timed to coincide with testimony of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who was scheduled to speak to a congressional panel April 14 regarding the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.

“I do not believe it was a coincidence that the leak came the day before Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before Congress on charges that his office was overly partisan in its firing of eight U.S. Attorneys,” Doolittle wrote. “Especially considering Gonzales specifically cited his recent prosecution of Republican members of Congress as evidence to the contrary.”

The lawmaker was not mentioned in the search warrant and no congressional records were taken, but he stepped down from his position on the House Appropriations Committee following the increased scrutiny.

“I understand how the most recent circumstances may lead some to question my tenure on the Appropriations Committee,” Doolittle wrote in an April 19 letter to House leadership. “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.”

Doolittle said he has no intention to resign his seat, telling the Nevada Appeal on May 3, “They have to drag me out. There is no way I’m stepping down.”

In his Saturday op-ed, Doolittle again pledged to continue his service.     “I will continue to return to my district to meet with my constituents and fulfill the commitment I made to them to be more accessible and responsive,” he wrote.     

Doolittle faces a tough reelection battle. His opponent, retired Air Force pilot Charlie Brown, raised $94,000 in the first quarter of this year and has $132,000 in cash on hand, the most impressive showing of any 2006 candidate seeking a rematch. Brown has a $203,000 cash advantage over Doolittle after first-quarter campaign finance filings. Doolittle still owes his wife $125,000 for work related to her fundraising, and owes $13,000 to lawyers hired to defend him in the FBI investigation.

Julie Doolittle’s fundraising for her husband’s congressional campaign became so controversial that he announced at the beginning of this year she would not continue to contribute in the same capacity. She may continue to work for his political action committee.

It is common for lawmakers’ spouses to work for their campaigns, but the way in which Julie Doolittle was paid attracted criticism. Rather than earning a flat fee, as some other fundraisers do, she received a 15 percent commission on every donation raised. For some, that created an impression that campaign donations given to John Doolittle directly benefited his household. An Abramoff charity; the lobbyist’s former firm, Greenberg Traurig; his former restaurant, Signatures; and the Korea-U.S. Exchange Council, which Ed Buckham, a former chief of staff to ex-Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), created, were Julie Doolittle’s firm’s only other clients.

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 Abramoff scandal, hiring Doolittle’s wife while with Abramoff at Greenberg Traurig.
    
Susan Crabtree contributed to this report.