Doolittle defiant: 'They have to drag me out'
Stressing his innocence and the inculpability of his wife in a federal investigation, Congressman John Doolittle said he's not worried about possible legal and political doom.
Doolittle, R-Rocklin, added he will not resign in the wake of temporarily stepping down from the House Appropriations Committee after federal investigators searched his Virginia home and confiscated records pertaining to his wife's business.
"They have to drag me out. There is no way I'm stepping down," he said during a Thursday telephone conference with reporters.
Doolittle, R-Rocklin, added he will not resign in the wake of temporarily stepping down from the House Appropriations Committee after federal investigators searched his Virginia home and confiscated records pertaining to his wife's business.
"They have to drag me out. There is no way I'm stepping down," he said during a Thursday telephone conference with reporters.
The embattled and anxious Doolittle said he is unsure why Department of Justice investigators have not reviewed the client files of his wife, Julie, when they were taken during a warranted search last month.
Three computers and the contents of two filing cabinets tied to Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions Inc., a fundraising and event-planning outfit, were taken.
Sierra Dominion has done work for convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff's former firm, Greenberg Traurig.
Doolittle, 56, said the computers have been returned, and his wife's iPod is ready to be picked up, but not the files and Julie Doolittle's Razr cell phone.
Three computers and the contents of two filing cabinets tied to Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions Inc., a fundraising and event-planning outfit, were taken.
Sierra Dominion has done work for convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff's former firm, Greenberg Traurig.
Doolittle, 56, said the computers have been returned, and his wife's iPod is ready to be picked up, but not the files and Julie Doolittle's Razr cell phone.
"I really am sick of it hanging out there ... It seems if they were really interested, they would have looked at those by now," he said.
"I can't believe how our system of justice works in this country," he added.
He's still waiting on a legal defense fund and stated the Justice Department advised he and his wife might need separate attorneys.
Doolittle mentioned he heard two colleagues in Congress, one Democrat and the other Republican, were subject of search warrants the same week Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before the Senate Judiciary Oversight Committee.
"I can't believe how our system of justice works in this country," he added.
He's still waiting on a legal defense fund and stated the Justice Department advised he and his wife might need separate attorneys.
Doolittle mentioned he heard two colleagues in Congress, one Democrat and the other Republican, were subject of search warrants the same week Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before the Senate Judiciary Oversight Committee.
Although his knowledge of the subjects of the searches, and searches themselves, were minimal, Doolittle believed they were tied to Abramoff.
One reporter asked the nine-term Republican why he appeared calm in the face Abramoff and former aide Kevin Ring cooperating with authorities.
"I don't worry about that. Maybe I should, but I don't know if those men are telling the truth. We have nothing to worry about," he said.
Doolittle expected to speak more about the issue next week.
One reporter asked the nine-term Republican why he appeared calm in the face Abramoff and former aide Kevin Ring cooperating with authorities.
"I don't worry about that. Maybe I should, but I don't know if those men are telling the truth. We have nothing to worry about," he said.
Doolittle expected to speak more about the issue next week.
