Watchdog report: Closer look at wife's income (Doolittle, Ca-R)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

Recent fundraising probes bring scrutiny to Doolittle's spouse.
By David Whitney -- Bee Washington Bureau
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, December 24, 2005
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee
WASHINGTON - A business operated by the wife of Rep. John Doolittle has pumped more than $136,000 into the family's finances over the last three years from commissions on fundraising for the Roseville Republican's federal political action committee.
Julie Doolittle's company has been paid commissions amounting to about 15 percent of the $905,000 the congressman's PAC has received in contributions over the last three years, a figure the congressman's office did not dispute. At that rate, more than $10,000 of her company's earnings would have come from a handful of large contributors linked to ongoing corruption investigations.

The arrangement between Julie Doolittle's company, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, and her husband's Superior California Federal Leadership Fund is not illegal. More than a dozen congressional spouses are similarly paid.

But in the aftermath of the resignation of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who pleaded guilty in federal court to accepting bribes from defense contractors, and the ongoing investigation of former high-flying Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, for whom Julie Doolittle's company also worked, her business is drawing greater scrutiny.

A new group called Californians for a Cleaner Congress, funded by labor and Democratic-leaning groups but officially nonpartisan, is raising questions about Julie Doolittle's business and the fact that it contributes to the congressman's income.

more at SacBee

[Lochloosa]

1. Turn the light one and watch them all scurry away

I think '06 is going to be a very good year.:party:

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Happy Festivus!

What a coincidence. Another Abramoff connected California Republican under scrutiny.
Pombo (R-Tracy) has a similar deal for his wife and other family members. He's in the news today with another shaky deal linked to Abramoff:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/24/MNGT9GD2I91.DTL

[jeffreyi]

3. Yay!

Pombo and Doolittle....dare we hope?

Maybe these two can prevail next November:


http://www.filsonforcongress.com/

http://www.actblue.com/list/CharlieBrown4Congress

[PurityOfEssence]

4. More than a dozen spouses. Wow, that's 1/45th of them; how widespread

I love it when broad statements are made like this to make something VERY rare seem commonplace. If a dozen spouses out of 535 do something SIMILAR, it's hardly standard procedure.

[pfitz59]

5. Financial back-doors....

just about every Congress-critter does it! Tom Daschle's wife was a lobbyist. Christopher Cox's wife was a lobbyist. Etc, etc etc..... How do Congress-critters live like millionaires on $150,000 salary? They rake it in through family and friends! The 'culture of corruption' runs wide and deep through both parties. Is anyone here surprised?

[mitchtv]

6. happy Holywar, NSMA

back with a bang