FBI searches Republican lawmaker’s home

[uscitizen]

FBI searches Republican lawmaker’s home
By Mike Soraghan and Susan Crabtree
April 18, 2007

The FBI searched the Virginia home of Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) last Friday in its investigation into ties between the congressman and his wife, Julie, and disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to law enforcement and other Congressional and K Street sources.

The search took place on the same day that his former chief of staff, Kevin Ring, abruptly resigned from his lobbying firm. Ring left Doolittle’s office to work for Abramoff at the law firm Greenberg Traurig and may have played a role in Abramoff’s decision to hire Julie Doolittle’s consulting firm. After the Abramoff scandal broke, Ring went to work for the lobbying firm, Barnes and Thornburg.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/fbi-searches-republican-lawmakers-home-2007-04-18.html

 

[uscitizen]

Lawmaker Resigns From Panel Amid Probe

Apr 19, 4:56 PM (ET)

By ERICA WERNER


WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. John Doolittle, whose house was searched by the FBI in an influence-peddling investigation, said Thursday he will step down temporarily from the House Appropriations Committee.

The announcement by the nine-term California Republican came one day after the disclosure that agents had raided his home in Oakton, Va. In the search last Friday, the FBI had a warrant for information connected with a fundraising business run by Doolittle's wife, Julie, that had done work for convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070419/D8OJTFB83.html