Dan Walters: Doolittle's reign may be ending

Sacramento Bee ^ | 5/2/7 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

Republican Rep. John Doolittle barely won re-election in his suburban-mountain district east of Sacramento last November even though his party holds an immense (18-percentage-point) voter advantage, thanks to a torrent of revelations about his unseemly relationship with disgraced Washington influence-peddler Jack Abramoff.

In the six months since the election, the news has gotten even worse for Doolittle, including an FBI raid on his suburban Washington home, apparently seeking documents about that relationship, and reports that Kevin Ring, a former Doolittle aide who later went to work for Abramoff, is talking to federal prosecutors.

Doolittle has stepped down -- temporarily, he says -- from his powerful position on the House Appropriations Committee, and while he continues to insist that he's done nothing illegal and is mystified about the direction of the federal investigation, there's little doubt that his political career is irreparably damaged, even if he escapes prosecution. The fact that Doolittle's wife, Julie, received contracts for unspecified work from Abramoff while Doolittle was helping Abramoff's clients is a political smoking gun, if not a legal one.

Last year, Democrats were climbing all over Doolittle's ties with Abramoff, hoping that they might be sufficient to overcome the pro-GOP leanings of his district and propel Democrat Charlie Brown into Congress. Brown fell 3.3 percentage points -- about 9,000 votes -- short, but is gearing up for another run next year.

However, as the investigative drama over Doolittle's relationship with Abramoff plays itself out in Washington, Democratic Party leaders now find themselves in the somewhat odd position of hoping that Doolittle is able to avoid prosecution and convince himself that he should seek another term in 2008, which is probably why we haven't heard any Democratic demands for resignation lately.

[TommyDale]

For a second there, I thought Walters had been watching American Idol! LOL!

[goldstategop]

I hate corruption - and corrupt officials on our side make it hard for conservatives to gin up enthusiasm for the GOP.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[nmh]

Yeah, whether this is true of not, they pick em off, one by one. The GOP will distance itself from him and let em hang. Demoncrats have it down to a science - vilify em - even if the accusations are not true - it will ruin em.

[MikeA]

Meanwhile, the media and Senate ethics panel continues to ignore far more eggregious charges of conflict of interest and corruption by California’s Senior Senate, Dianne Feinstein: http://thehill.com/david-keene/feinsteins-cardinal-shenanigans-2007-04-30.html.

But in this Sacramento Bee piece, an FBI raid is tantamount to a jury finding you guilty. Please.

[MikeA]

You forgot one element in the Democratic play book: villify any Republican who’s accused even with no evidence, then ignore your own peoples’ dirty laundry like Harry Reid’s relationship with Abramoff, and Dianne Feinstein’s utter corruption that makes all the rest look like amateurs as detailed in the Hill yesterday: http://thehill.com/david-keene/feinsteins-cardinal-shenanigans-2007-04-30.html.

[bert]

Meanwhile,down is LA, the Dolittle star is ascending as Malinda Dolittle seems the strong contender for Idol 2007

[Liberty Valance]

No surprise here. They picked off Tom Delay and he STILL hasn’t had his day in court.

[trumandogz]

They say History Repeats itself:

April 1942-The Doolittle Raid

April 2007-The Doolittle Raid

[madison10]

For a second there, I thought Walters had been watching American Idol! LOL!

So did I! Thought: "What the heck? She did fine last night. Who leaked the results?" LOL

[MikeA]

The fact that Doolittle's wife, Julie, received contracts for unspecified work from Abramoff while Doolittle was helping Abramoff's clients is a political smoking gun, if not a legal one.

And where's the Sacramento Bee to report on the far worse funnelling of business to a spouse's company by Dianne Feinstein when she sat on the Senate Appropriations Committee? http://thehill.com/david-keene/feinsteins-cardinal-shenanigans-2007-04-30.html.

[SmithL]

Dem-bulb politicians are allowed all manner of transgressions, while Republicans are required to be above suspicion. Nevertheless, politicians who use their office for personal gain do no favors to conservative causes.

[goldstategop]

I realize there's a double standard. But it arises from our inherent distrust at using government to run people lives, which is what happens when political favors are accepted and exchanged. It violates not just ethical standards but conservative principles of small government and keeping government's at an arms' length. For the Democrats corruption comes with the territory because the Democrats accept government as natural and see nothing wrong with expanding its reach everywhere and additionally with helping political friends and cronies. When that philosophical difference is taken into account, Republicans like John Doolittle find their political careers are over while Democrats like William "Cold Cash" Jefferson live to manipulate the government another day.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ElkGroveDan]

There’s no evidence that Doolittle has done anything wrong. He’s a good man, and a true conservative.

Walters on the other hand is an insufferable blowhard, frustrated by his career stuck at the Sacramento Bee. He had great dreams of going to the LA Times, but alas even they don’t want him. He’s forever stuck in his tiny little corner of press mediocrity. He tries to compensate for his own inadequacies by relentlessly attacking decent and accomplished men who have made something of themselves.

[MSF BU]

Find a Reagan Republican and a veteran to run against him in the primary; there’s no need to repeat the mistakes made with Senator Burns, Senator Roth, Congressman DeLay etc., his time is up. May he have the grace to know that fact.

[SoCalPol]

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