UPDATE:
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA) announced on January 10, 2008 that he would retire at the end of his term in January 2009.

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Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA) is an ninth-term member of Congress representing California’s 4th congressional district. Rep. Doolittle’s ethics issues stem from his wife’s relationship to his campaign and political action committees, as well as campaign contributions and personal financial benefits he accepted from those who sought his legislative assistance. Rep. Doolittle is currently the subject of a Department of Justice investigation and was included in CREW’s 2006 report on congressional corruption.

Julie Doolittle

Rep. Doolittle’s wife Julie is the owner and president of Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, a fundraising company retained by Rep. Doolittle’s campaign committee and his Superior California Leadership PAC. In her role as fundraiser, Ms. Doolittle receives 15% of every contribution raised. Ms. Doolittle has received at least $215,000 from Rep. Doolittle’s campaign committees since 2001, and took in nearly $224,000 during the 2006 campaign alone. Notably, the Association of Fundraising Professionals sent a letter to Rep. Doolittle stating that its long-standing ethics code, “explicitly prohibits percentage-based compensation” and urged the campaign to cease this practice with Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions.

Ms. Doolittle’s payments by her husband’s campaign appear to violate federal campaign finance laws and House rules, which prohibit converting campaign funds to personal use. By using his position as a member of Congress to financially benefit his wife, Rep. Doolittle may be depriving his constituents of his honest services, using his position for personal gain, and engaging in conduct that does not reflect creditably on the House.

After severe criticism, Rep. Doolittle announced that his wife would no longer serve as a paid fundraiser for his 2008 reelection campaign. Still maintaining that the percentage based fee his wife earned was fair, Rep. Doolittle has said his wife will continue to raise money for his Superior California Leadership PAC, but will be paid a flat salary rather than a commission. Rep. Doolittle still owes his wife’s company $76,471.20 for fundraising services rendered during the 2006 election cycle.

Ties to Jack Abramoff

In 1999, Rep. Doolittle also assisted Jack Abramoff in securing a lucrative lobbying contract with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), helped Mr. Abramoff stave off legislation protecting workers in the CNMI and wrote letters on behalf of some of Mr. Abramoff’s tribal casinos. In return, Rep. Doolittle, an alleged gambling foe, received $130,000 from gambling tribes with ties to Mr. Abramoff. If Rep. Doolittle received contributions from Mr. Abramoff in return for legislative assistance, he may have violated prohibitions against bribery, honest services fraud and House rules.

In April 2007, FBI agents searched the Doolittles’ Virginia home. Investigators sought the business records of Sierra Dominion Financial Services as part of an ongoing investigation into ties between Jack Abramoff and the Doolittles. At least three former and two current Doolittle aides have been contacted by the Justice Department as part of the investigation.

Brent Wilkes

Federal investigators are probing whether contributions made to Rep. Doolittle by now indicted defense contractor Brent Wilkes and his associates are linked to any official actions Rep. Doolittle took to help Mr. Wilkes’ company obtain millions of dollars in earmarks.

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