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Doolittle: "I'm Glad"
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA), ever the optimist, thinks it's just peachy that federal investigators have contacted as many as six of his former aides:
Doolittle said Thursday, during a weekly telephone conference with reporters, that he has no problem with his former aides talking to prosecutors because he thinks it might hasten his dismissal as a focus of the Abramoff probe."Why didn't they do this a year and a half ago when I wrote the attorney general, or even before that?" Doolittle said of the prosecutors.
"I finally wrote him (Attorney General Alberto Gonzales) and said please investigate," Doolittle said. "To have this dragged out for over three years is ridiculous. They've had three years to get to the bottom of this. At least they've started."
"I've always believed that the truth vindicates us," he said. "I am glad they are going to delve more into it."
It's a familiar stance from Doolittle, who's been goading prosecutors for the past couple years. In January of 2006, he announced that he'd written that letter to the attorney general, asking the Department of Justice to "come investigate me." In October of last year, his spokeswoman announced that his lawyers had been having conversations with prosecutors "which we believe have been helpful toward clearing the congressman's name." Those contacts, the spokeswoman said, had been initiated at Doolittle's request.
The thing is, prosecutors don't seem to need much encouragement (here are the reasons why). Doolittle has been in investigators' sights dating back to the very beginning of the Jack Abramoff investigation -- back in 2004, investigators subpoenaed records for Doolittle's wife's consulting firm due to her work for Abramoff. Finally, in April of this year, prosecutors offered Doolittle an opportunity to plead guilty. After he refused, FBI agents raided his Virginia home (for some reason, Doolittle wasn't happy about that).
So it's apparent the Justice Department has taken Doolittle up on his offer to "come investigate me," and they've obviously much more than just "started." But I'm sure they appreciate the support.
Comments (16)
Anonymous wrote on June 29, 2007 3:04 PM:GOP tactic attack strength and play up weakness.
"Please investigate me?" Please. I doubt this idiot ever even wrote a letter.
And where's the propriety in having a Member of Congress contact the top law enforcement official about a case he is implicated in? Troubling, troubling, troubling.
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on June 29, 2007 3:06 PM:When I asked why Julia Doolittle's name and address was on the VA corporate reistration for Tech Travelers Inc. in July 2006, Tech Travelers changed its name to Red Branch Technologies, LLC a week later.
The Tech Travelers CEO is Thomas Murray, a Doolittle neighbor. Some of the Tech Travelers officers appear to have something to do with MSD Inc. which shared in an $8 billion Dept of Commerce IT contract.
Doolittle knows his neighbors, that's for sure. He is secretary of his homeowners association.
cevrero wrote on June 29, 2007 3:31 PM:Dear Mr. Doolittle
cevrero wrote on June 29, 2007 3:34 PM:Did you just ask why the republican loyal bushie DOJ didn't investigate this a year and a half ago? Hmmm, maybe they didn't want to look bad before the elections. These guys play stupid and act honest when their asses are on fire. Aparently war profiteering is patriotic in this War criminal's mind.
jeesh,....You'd think he would be able to buy a decent pair of glasses with all the lobby money he's pocketed.
CD wrote on June 29, 2007 3:53 PM:Dear Mr. Doolittle
I look forward to watching you go down in flames come election day.
signed, the fourth.
LeftintheUS wrote on June 29, 2007 3:55 PM:Good strategy. O.J. wants to find the real killers, as well!
P J Evans wrote on June 29, 2007 4:25 PM:cevrero
Plow wrote on June 29, 2007 4:34 PM:It isn't the glasses. It's the face behind them. (Typical GOoPer face, fat and pale.)
"Bring it on".
Alberto Gonnasolvethis wrote on June 29, 2007 5:17 PM:Mrs P,
Did you ever learn anything more about Julie and Tech Travelers?
Please share - many thanks for all your efforts.
ifthethunderdontgetya wrote on June 29, 2007 6:56 PM:I donated to Charlie Brown in 2006, and again already for 2008. Dump Doolittle!
http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16314
hee ho wrote on June 29, 2007 9:50 PM:Isn't this sort of similar to DeLay's grinning mugshot?
Mike Valentine wrote on June 30, 2007 12:19 AM:Doolittle, is a bundled fagot to trow on the bonfire of the 08 elections.
The Republicans MUST appear to clean up their acts of corruption. If they don't it will be to late for them. They must lead the impeachment charges on this corrupt little party that has been happening in the White House.
The voters will get tired of the obstructionism and scandals and will vote the crooks out.
parrot wrote on June 30, 2007 12:51 AM:Well, at least it's now unanimous. I wonder if we'll be startled by what they finally decide to do with his indictments?
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on June 30, 2007 11:24 AM:Al G@June 29, 2007 5:17 PM - No, I never learned anything more about Julia Doolittle and Tech Travelers but I did write to Dave Whitney at the SacBee who has been covering the Doolittle story. I also posted about Tech Travelers at Dump Doolittle and a number of other sites.
Tech Travelers seemed to be one of those one-product companies that really needed a government contract to get off the ground. As I noted previously, the Tech Travelers officers and principals appear to have business connections to other government software contractors. I doubt that any of them are making a living from Tech Travelers.
It is possible that Julia Doolittle was just acting as an accountant for Tech Travelers. I'm sure the investigators will look at her fees to see if they are proportionate to work done. I'd raise an eyebrow if Doolittle had a contingency or equity arrangement with the company.
The timing of the name change on the website from Tech Travelers to Red Branch Technologies
was curious. I first posted about Tech Travelers on 7/3/06 and by 7/10/06, the name was changed and the company had an actual address, albeit an office suite deal.
When I realized that Julia Doolittle was doing business with her neighbors, I did a reverse corporate search for companies registered on or near her street.
I'd really be curious if Capital Athletics, LLC, registered on 4/11/02 and cancelled on 5/21/03, was one of her clients. Abramoff's Capital Athletic Foundation was also one of her clients in that time frame.
ted wrote on June 30, 2007 4:27 PM:When the FBI recently raided the Doolittles' house, they were interested in Julie Doolittle's business records so maybe I'm not far off track here.
The reason that the Justice Dept is taking three years, Congressman Doolittle is that they are slowly building a case against you, and they would be taking their time unless they feel that they have a winnable case. Julie Doolittle's antics are enough to nail her soley, especially for the Wilkes Dinner in 2003. The little antics of getting cities in your districts to hire lobbying firms, (As Rep Jerry Lewis has done as well) probably shows some sort of deal with the lobbying firms. They are going through your record and actions on the appropriations committee with a fine tooth comb.
lmg wrote on July 2, 2007 4:10 PM:OhmyGod--its the attack of the "Church Lady" again!!!!!!
"Federal investigators trying to prosecute me under Fredo Gonzales's reign? Isn't that SPECIAL!!!!"