John Doolittle
Encyclopedia
John Taylor Doolittle American
politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives
from 1991 to 2009, representing . In the 109th Congress
, he held a leadership role as the Deputy Whip for the Republican party in the House. He was succeeded in the House of Representatives by Tom McClintock
.
. He grew up in Cupertino, California
, graduating from Cupertino High School
in 1968. He graduated with honors with a B.A. in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz
. He also has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law
, University of the Pacific, in Sacramento, in 1978.
Doolittle spent two years as a missionary in Argentina
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before going to law school. Doolittle is married to the former Julia (Julie) Harlow. They have a son and daughter.
, the conservative founder of Gun Owners of America
and the Law and Order Campaign Committee.
In a 1980 race for the California State Senate
, Doolittle, then 29, stunned everyone by narrowly defeating Democrat Albert S. Rodda
, dean of the state Senate and chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
In 1981, the Democratic state legislature's redistricting plan, which used creatively drawn districts to squeeze out Republican lawmakers, dumped Doolittle into a Democratic district, where he lost to then-Assemblyman Leroy Greene in 1982. But by a quirk of redistricting, Doolittle was able to keep his original seat until 1984, when he won another term by beating Ray Johnson, a Republican turned independent from Chico
. An administrative law judge later found him guilty of violating campaign finance laws when his campaign helped his Democratic opponent, to pull votes away from Johnson. Doolittle easily won re-election in 1988. From 1987 to 1990, he was chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus.
, also a Mormon, retired from Congress. In the November general election, Doolittle defeated Patty Malberg, a Democrat from Lincoln
, getting 51% of the vote, in what was then the 14th Congressional District.
Doolittle's district was renumbered as the 4th in 1992, and he was reelected with 50 percent of the vote, again defeating Malberg. However, he was reelected with 61 percent of the vote in 1994 and didn't face another close race until 2006.
, which had a role in exposing the House banking scandal
.
Doolittle is a staunch conservative. According to the Associated Press, "Doolittle is a generally loyal supporter of the Bush administration — though like many House Republicans he opposes Bush's support for an immigration guest worker program." He is in favor of partial privatization of Social Security, saying he would like to see people "gain ownership over their own funds". He opposes gun control and abortion rights.
After the old Republican Study Committee
had its funding yanked in 1995, Doolittle helped refound it as the "Conservative Action Team." He alternated the chairmanship with Dan Burton
of Indiana
, Sam Johnson
of Texas
and Ernest Istook
of Oklahoma
until 1999.
In January 2006, The Union newspaper of Grass Valley, California quoted Doolittle as saying that "A liberal front is underway to find God and all things pertaining to him unconstitutional."
In February 2006, Doolittle was praised by the El Dorado Irrigation District for his assistance in obtaining funds for hydroelectric power projects.
project, despite environmental concerns and uncertainties about the impact that such a dam might have on seismic activity in the area. A mid-1990s preliminary United States Geological Survey
report cited concerns about the potential of earthquake
s caused by that project. Doolittle's stated reason for supporting the Auburn Dam is for flood control
of Sacramento
. After Hurricane Katrina
in 2005, he portrayed the flooding in New Orleans as an example of why the project was needed. Critics replied that the Gulf Coast, with its hurricane season and the torrential rainfalls associated with it, is not a valid comparison to a region of the country that historically often has droughts, and said that Folsom
and Nimbus Dam
s suffice in an intense rainy season. Opponents of the project believe that the proposed Auburn Dam will also accelerate urban sprawl
east of Sacramento and downriver from the proposed dam. Placer County
has one of the highest growth rates in the country. Opponents also cite other issues such as destruction of the canyon environment and loss of habitat for wildlife. In 1975, the construction of the dam stopped due to environmental concerns, money issues, and the seismic instability of the proposed dam site, the construction was canceled and the project is abandoned. Much of the preliminary work on the dam can still be seen today. In 2005, Doolittle secured funding for studies on moving the project forward.
, 78%-22%. In the general election, Doolittle defeated Mark Norberg, 65%-35%, while raising $1,024,986 compared to Norberg’s $8,202.
on June 6, 2006, Doolittle was challenged for his party's nomination by Mike Holmes, the mayor of Auburn. Doolittle raised more than $1.1 million in campaign contributions, more than 14 times that of Holmes. Doolittle won the primary with 67% of the vote.
In the general election
, Doolittle's Democratic opponent was retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Charles Brown
. Doolittle agreed to a single debate, on October 11, 2006. Doolittle defeated Brown, getting 49% of the vote to Brown's 46%. Brown defeated Doolittle in Nevada County
, but narrowly lost the most populated county in the district, Placer County, and lost the rest of the district.
In January 2007, Doolittle announced ten steps he said he would take to re-establish the confidence of the district in his holding office. He announced the planned changes in an op-ed piece he distributed to newspapers in his district.
, which provides health care for about 6 million children and 670,000 adults from families who earn too much money qualify for Medicare but not enough to afford health insurance. Congressional Democrats and many Republicans tried to use the opportunity to dramatically expand the program but were opposed by President George W. Bush and other Republicans. In 2006, 5.4 million children were eligible but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid and 9.4 million total children were uninsured.
John Doolittle voted against the first House bill, which passed along party lines. It would have added $47 billion over five years to the $25 billion cost of the program and added about 5 million people to the program, including children, some legal immigrants, pregnant women and adults aged 18 and 19. The bill was financed mainly by an increase in cigarette taxes.
House Democrats, with 45 Republicans, later compromised and passed a bill that expanded the plan by $35 billion and would have insured about 3.5 million more children from families generally making between 250% and 300% of the federal poverty line (about $51,000 to $62,000 for a family of four). Most non-pregnant, childless adults were excluded, as were most legal immigrants and all illegal immigrants. Doolittle voted against the bill.
After President Bush vetoed the bill, Democratic leaders attempted to override the veto with the same bill but failed. Doolittle voted against the bill.
House Democrats then attempted to override it with another bill, which gave into Republican demands for increased checks for citizenship, the quick phasing-out of adult coverage, a hard limit of 300% of the federal poverty level and funding for families that covered their children through private insurance instead. Republicans, angry that the vote was scheduled during massive fires in California, blocked the veto override. Doolittle voted against the bill.
) John Doolittle has raised a total of $278,142 this year.
(CREW) a group headed by former Democratic Congressional staffer Melanie Sloan, released its second annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress, titled "Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch)". Doolittle was one of the 20. The organization said "His ethics issues stem from his wife’s relationship to his campaign and political action committees, as well as campaign contributions and personal financial benefits he accepted from those who sought his legislative assistance." He was also listed in CREW's subsequent 2007 and 2008 reports.
On June 11, 2010 the U.S. Attorney announced that after a 4 year investigation they had closed its case against Congressman Doolittle and would not pursue charges. Doolittle, who had consistently denied wrong doing, expressed regret that so many lives and careers had been impacted by the misguided investigation that forced him from office but indicated relief that it was finally over.
. On September 27, 2007, he indicated that he planned to fight a Justice Department subpoena for 11 years of records as part of that department's investigation into his conduct.
Doolittle has denied any wrongdoing. In connection with the matter, he has hired David Barger, a criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor from Ken Starr's office, and Wiley Rein LLP, a law firm that specializes in campaign finance and government ethics. Doolittle has estimated that he received about $50,000 from clients of Abramoff, mostly Indian tribes. Abramoff also personally donated $14,000 over the period 1999–2004 to Doolittle's congressional campaigns. After Doolittle's Chief of Staff Kevin A. Ring
left to work for Abramoff, Ring helped arrange for Abramoff to hire a consulting firm owned by Doolittle's wife. Doolittle also used Abramoff's luxury sports box for a fundraiser without initially reporting it. Doolittle is currently being investigated by a federal probe into his relationship with Abramoff. On April 13, 2007, Doolittle's former aide, Kevin Ring, resigned from his lobby firm. On the same day, the FBI raided Doolittle's Virginia home. On September 4, 2007, the House announced that Doolittle's Chief of Staff Ron Rogers and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Blankenburg were subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury.
, said she had also been urged to hire a lobbyist by Doolittle's staff. "They encouraged us that a lobbyist is very important to any city or county government" she said.
; Julie is the only employee. The company (that is, Julie) has continued to do fundraising, but no event planning or other work, since the Abramoff scandal first became public in early 2005.
, a Washington, D.C.
lobbying firm with close ties to Congressman Tom DeLay
, paid Sierra Dominion for bookkeeping work for a nonprofit group called the Korea-U.S. Exchange Council (KORUSEC), created by Ed Buckham
, a partner in the firm, and located at the ASG headquarters. KORUSEC is also connected to Kevin Ring, one of Doolittle's former assistants.
ASG is now closed due to the scandals surrounding Jack Abramoff
. Julie Doolittle's records regarding her work there were subpoenaed by the Department of Justice.
In December 2005, Richard Robinson, Doolittle's Chief of Staff, defended the commission structure. "Sierra Dominion's compensation is based entirely on performance in that it receives a percentage in what it is directly involved in raising. This arrangement is not only consistent with that of other fund raisers but is designed to avoid the appearance that Sierra Dominion is compensated for anything other than its tireless and effective work. Any suggestion otherwise is completely without merit."
In 2006, the 27,000-member Association of Fundraising Professionals released a letter it had sent to Doolittle, declaring that his wife's activities violated the Association's ethics code, in that their code "explicitly prohibits percentage-based compensation".
In January 2007, Doolittle announced that he would no longer employ his wife as his campaign fundraiser. Instead, he said, he would hire an outside fundraiser. But in July 2007, his campaign reported expenses of $50,000 for fundraising by Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions during the April–June 2007 period. The company was also still owed $76,000 in commissions from the 2006 race.
.
KORUSEC and the U.S.-Malaysia Exchange Association, which were operated by a Washington lobbying firm, Alexander Strategy Group
, were, as of November 2006, being investigated by the FBI as possible conduits for illegal influence in U.S. affairs by a foreign corporation (KORUSEC) and a foreign government (USMEA). A spokeswoman for Doolittle said that he believed that his trip was proper and that it had nothing to do with the earmarks.
admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and favors from Wilkes for his efforts to help another of Wilkes' companies, ADCS Inc.
In 2002, Wilkes hired the Alexander Strategy Group
(ASG) to do lobbying for the PerfectWave. In November, 2003, Wilkes hosted a fund-raising dinner for Doolittle. Between 2002 to 2005, Doolittle received at least $118,000 in campaign contributions from Wilkes, PerfectWave associates and their wives, and ASG lobbyists Edwin A. Buckham and Tony C. Rudy (two former aides of Tom DeLay
) and their wives.
Doolittle, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said in January, 2006 that he had helped steer defense funds totaling $37 million to PerfectWave ($1 million in 2002, $18 million in 2003, and then $18 million in 2004.) Doolittle said that his support was based "on the project's merits and the written support of the military." But the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "The money was not requested by the Navy but was instead inserted by the Appropriations Committee as part of the closed-door congressional earmarking process." They further reported that "[T]he only evidence Doolittle's office could provide to show military support for the project was a letter of praise from Robert Lusardi, a program manager for light armored vehicles at the Marine Corps dated Feb. 25 — two and a half years after PerfectWave got its first earmark. By the time Lusardi wrote his letter, the company had received at least $37 million in earmarks."
In February 2006, Doolittle said that he was glad he supported PerfectWave, saying "it has unique technology ... that ensures the safety of our armed forces in the war on terror.
reported that "Reps. John T. Doolittle and Richard W. Pombo joined forces with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
of Texas
to oppose an investigation by federal banking regulators into the affairs of Houston millionaire Charles Hurwitz, documents recently obtained by The Times show." Furthermore, "When the FDIC persisted, Doolittle and Pombo — both considered proteges of DeLay — used their power as members of the House Resources Committee to subpoena the agency's confidential records on the case, including details of the evidence FDIC investigators had compiled on Hurwitz." The FDIC investigation was ultimately dropped.
The Times reported that "Although Washington politicians frequently try to help important constituents and contributors, it is unusual for members of Congress to take direct steps to stymie an ongoing investigation by an agency such as the FDIC." The article concluded, "in the Hurwitz case, Doolittle and Pombo were in a position to pressure the FDIC and did so."
On April 19, 2007, Doolittle resigned from the Committee on Appropriations in response to a raid by the FBI at his Northern Virginia home. The raid stemmed from possible involvement by his wife in the Abramoff investigation.
, a retired Lt. Colonel who lost to Doolittle in 2006 by only 3 percent of the vote, announced in February 2007 that he would run again in 2008. Brown outraised Doolittle in the first and second quarters of 2007; as of June 30, he had a net cash balance of $251,000; Doolittle had a negative balance of $32,000.
In August 2007, former Placer County
Republican Party chairman Ken Campbell, a longtime financial backer of Doolittle, said he was withdrawing his support. Campbell cited a recent Club for Growth
report on votes in 2007 on spending bills, where Doolittle scored 2 percent, compared to the Republican average of 43 percent.
In July 2007, Eric Egland, a 37-year-old Air Force reservist and security consultant, announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for the seat held by Doolittle. In August 2007, Auburn
City Councilman Mike Holmes announced that he also was entering the 2008 race. Holmes ran unsuccessfully against Doolittle for the Republican nomination in 2006, getting 33 percent of the primary vote to 67 percent for Doolittle.
On August 30, 2007, State Assemblyman Ted Gaines announced the establishment of an exploratory committee to begin raising money to run for Congress against Doolittle, stating "I think voters have lost faith in his leadership ability...when you lose the moral ability to lead, you kind of have to re-evaluate."
Doolittle lashed back at Gaines, saying, "After spending the last month talking to local voters, I have seen strong support for my candidacy and a strong desire to focus on solving problems instead of plotting for political advantage...I will gladly place before the voters my record of over 30 years of service to the Republican Party to Ted Gaines' less than one year."
After much speculation, on January 10, 2008, John Doolittle announced he would finish his current term, and not run for re-election.
After Doolittle's retirement announcement, Councilman Holmes quit the race and instead endorsed former Republican Congressman Doug Ose
, who announced on February 1, 2008 that he is running for Doolittle's seat. Ose faced opposition from former California State Senator Rico Oller
(R-San Andreas), who announced his candidacy on January 10, 2008. When California State Senator Tom McClintock
(R-Thousand Oaks) announced that he too was running for Doolittle's seat on March 4, 2008, Oller dropped out of the race, and decided to give his endorsement to McClintock. Although he didn't live in the district, McClintock beat Charlie Brown in the general election by only 1,800 votes.
Articles
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1991 to 2009, representing . In the 109th Congress
109th United States Congress
The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
, he held a leadership role as the Deputy Whip for the Republican party in the House. He was succeeded in the House of Representatives by Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock
Thomas Miller McClintock II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Assemblyman and state Senator...
.
Early life and education
Doolittle was born in Glendale, CaliforniaGlendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
. He grew up in Cupertino, California
Cupertino, California
Cupertino is an affluent suburban city in Santa Clara County, California in the U.S., directly west of San Jose on the western edge of the Santa Clara Valley with portions extending into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The population was 58,302 at the time of the 2010 census. Forbes...
, graduating from Cupertino High School
Cupertino High School
Cupertino High School, colloquially referred to as "Tino", is a four-year comprehensive public high school located near the Rancho Rinconada and Fairgrove neighborhoods of Cupertino, California, USA. It is part of the Fremont Union High School District. The school serves mostly suburban...
in 1968. He graduated with honors with a B.A. in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
. He also has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law
McGeorge School of Law
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law is a private, ABA approved law school in the Oak Park neighborhood of the city of Sacramento, California. It is part of the University of the Pacific....
, University of the Pacific, in Sacramento, in 1978.
Doolittle spent two years as a missionary in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before going to law school. Doolittle is married to the former Julia (Julie) Harlow. They have a son and daughter.
Career prior to the U.S. House
In 1979, Doolittle worked as an aide to State Senator H. L. RichardsonH. L. Richardson
Hubert Leon "Bill" Richardson founded Gun Owners of America in 1975 and served as a California state senator from 1966–1988. He served as the state senate's Republican Caucus Chair for several of these years. He was also the unsuccessful Republican candidate for the United States Senate in 1974,...
, the conservative founder of Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America is a gun rights organization in the United States with over 300,000 members. They make efforts to differentiate themselves from the larger National Rifle Association , and have publicly criticized the NRA on multiple occasions for what the GOA considers to be the selling out...
and the Law and Order Campaign Committee.
In a 1980 race for the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
, Doolittle, then 29, stunned everyone by narrowly defeating Democrat Albert S. Rodda
Albert S. Rodda
Albert S. Rodda, Jr. was a California State Senator.Born in Sacramento, California, Rodda graduated from Sacramento High School in 1929 before receiving an A.B. in 1933 and an A.M. in 1934, both in History from Stanford University, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society...
, dean of the state Senate and chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
In 1981, the Democratic state legislature's redistricting plan, which used creatively drawn districts to squeeze out Republican lawmakers, dumped Doolittle into a Democratic district, where he lost to then-Assemblyman Leroy Greene in 1982. But by a quirk of redistricting, Doolittle was able to keep his original seat until 1984, when he won another term by beating Ray Johnson, a Republican turned independent from Chico
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
. An administrative law judge later found him guilty of violating campaign finance laws when his campaign helped his Democratic opponent, to pull votes away from Johnson. Doolittle easily won re-election in 1988. From 1987 to 1990, he was chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus.
Initial election and re-elections
In 1990, Republican Norman D. ShumwayNorman D. Shumway
Norman David Shumway is a former California Republican politician.After moving to California, he was educated in the Stockton public school system. He received an Associate of Arts degree from Stockton College in 1954, and was graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree...
, also a Mormon, retired from Congress. In the November general election, Doolittle defeated Patty Malberg, a Democrat from Lincoln
Lincoln, California
Lincoln is a city in Placer County, California, United States located in the metropolitan area of Sacramento. The population was 42,819 at the 2010 census, with a growth rate of 282.1 percent since 2000 , making it the fastest growing city in the U.S...
, getting 51% of the vote, in what was then the 14th Congressional District.
Doolittle's district was renumbered as the 4th in 1992, and he was reelected with 50 percent of the vote, again defeating Malberg. However, he was reelected with 61 percent of the vote in 1994 and didn't face another close race until 2006.
Political positions and actions
In his first years in Congress, Doolittle was a member of the group known as the Gang of SevenGang of Seven
The Gang of Seven refers to a group of freshmen Republican U.S. Representatives, elected to serve in the 101st Congress in 1990. The group loudly condemned the House banking scandal and the Congressional Post Office scandal, forcing the congressional leadership to address the issues by ensuring...
, which had a role in exposing the House banking scandal
House banking scandal
The House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
.
Doolittle is a staunch conservative. According to the Associated Press, "Doolittle is a generally loyal supporter of the Bush administration — though like many House Republicans he opposes Bush's support for an immigration guest worker program." He is in favor of partial privatization of Social Security, saying he would like to see people "gain ownership over their own funds". He opposes gun control and abortion rights.
After the old Republican Study Committee
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
had its funding yanked in 1995, Doolittle helped refound it as the "Conservative Action Team." He alternated the chairmanship with Dan Burton
Dan Burton
Danny "Dan" Lee Burton is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the , serving since 1983. He is a member of the Republican Party....
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Sam Johnson
Sam Johnson
Samuel Robert "Sam" Johnson is an American politician and a retired career U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot. He currently is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd District of Texas...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Ernest Istook
Ernest Istook
Ernest James Istook Jr. is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district. He held his congressional seat for 14 years, completing seven terms in the House...
of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
until 1999.
In January 2006, The Union newspaper of Grass Valley, California quoted Doolittle as saying that "A liberal front is underway to find God and all things pertaining to him unconstitutional."
In February 2006, Doolittle was praised by the El Dorado Irrigation District for his assistance in obtaining funds for hydroelectric power projects.
Auburn Dam Project
Doolittle is known for support of the Auburn DamAuburn State Recreation Area
Auburn State Recreation Area is a state park unit of California, USA, along of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. The state recreation area is situated on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties in the heart of historic Gold Country. The largest city with close proximity is...
project, despite environmental concerns and uncertainties about the impact that such a dam might have on seismic activity in the area. A mid-1990s preliminary United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
report cited concerns about the potential of earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s caused by that project. Doolittle's stated reason for supporting the Auburn Dam is for flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
of Sacramento
Sacramento County, California
Sacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
. After Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in 2005, he portrayed the flooding in New Orleans as an example of why the project was needed. Critics replied that the Gulf Coast, with its hurricane season and the torrential rainfalls associated with it, is not a valid comparison to a region of the country that historically often has droughts, and said that Folsom
Folsom Lake
Folsom Lake is a reservoir in Northern California about northeast of Sacramento in Placer, El Dorado, and Sacramento Counties. The lake is formed by Folsom Dam, constructed in 1955 to control the American River. The dam and lake are part of the Folsom Project, which also includes the Nimbus...
and Nimbus Dam
Nimbus Dam
The Nimbus Dam is a base load hydroelectric dam on the American River near Folsom, California. Approximately of water is retained by the dam.- External links :* fact sheet - United States Bureau of Reclamation* - parks.ca.gov...
s suffice in an intense rainy season. Opponents of the project believe that the proposed Auburn Dam will also accelerate urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
east of Sacramento and downriver from the proposed dam. Placer County
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
has one of the highest growth rates in the country. Opponents also cite other issues such as destruction of the canyon environment and loss of habitat for wildlife. In 1975, the construction of the dam stopped due to environmental concerns, money issues, and the seismic instability of the proposed dam site, the construction was canceled and the project is abandoned. Much of the preliminary work on the dam can still be seen today. In 2005, Doolittle secured funding for studies on moving the project forward.
2002
In 2002, Doolittle defeated Republican challenger Dr. Bill Kirby of Auburn, CaliforniaAuburn, California
Auburn is the county seat of Placer County, California. Its population at the 2010 census was 13,330. Auburn is known for its California Gold Rush history.Auburn is part of the Greater Sacramento area.- History :...
, 78%-22%. In the general election, Doolittle defeated Mark Norberg, 65%-35%, while raising $1,024,986 compared to Norberg’s $8,202.
2004
In 2004, Doolittle's Democratic opponent David Winters raised only $2,300 and won 35 percent of the vote. For that race, Doolittle took in more than $1 million in contributions.2006
In the Republican primaryPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
on June 6, 2006, Doolittle was challenged for his party's nomination by Mike Holmes, the mayor of Auburn. Doolittle raised more than $1.1 million in campaign contributions, more than 14 times that of Holmes. Doolittle won the primary with 67% of the vote.
In the general election
United States House elections, 2006
- House of Representatives prior to the election :As of November 7, 2006, the U.S. House of the 109th Congress was composed of 229 Republicans, 201 Democrats and 1 Independent . There were also four vacancies...
, Doolittle's Democratic opponent was retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Charles Brown
Charles Brown (California)
Charles Duane 'Charlie' Brown is a retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel and was the Democratic nominee for Congress in the 2006 election and the 2008 election for California's 4th congressional district.-Life and career:...
. Doolittle agreed to a single debate, on October 11, 2006. Doolittle defeated Brown, getting 49% of the vote to Brown's 46%. Brown defeated Doolittle in Nevada County
Nevada County, California
Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
, but narrowly lost the most populated county in the district, Placer County, and lost the rest of the district.
In January 2007, Doolittle announced ten steps he said he would take to re-establish the confidence of the district in his holding office. He announced the planned changes in an op-ed piece he distributed to newspapers in his district.
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
In 2007, Congress took up the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance ProgramState Children's Health Insurance Program
The State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
, which provides health care for about 6 million children and 670,000 adults from families who earn too much money qualify for Medicare but not enough to afford health insurance. Congressional Democrats and many Republicans tried to use the opportunity to dramatically expand the program but were opposed by President George W. Bush and other Republicans. In 2006, 5.4 million children were eligible but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid and 9.4 million total children were uninsured.
John Doolittle voted against the first House bill, which passed along party lines. It would have added $47 billion over five years to the $25 billion cost of the program and added about 5 million people to the program, including children, some legal immigrants, pregnant women and adults aged 18 and 19. The bill was financed mainly by an increase in cigarette taxes.
House Democrats, with 45 Republicans, later compromised and passed a bill that expanded the plan by $35 billion and would have insured about 3.5 million more children from families generally making between 250% and 300% of the federal poverty line (about $51,000 to $62,000 for a family of four). Most non-pregnant, childless adults were excluded, as were most legal immigrants and all illegal immigrants. Doolittle voted against the bill.
After President Bush vetoed the bill, Democratic leaders attempted to override the veto with the same bill but failed. Doolittle voted against the bill.
House Democrats then attempted to override it with another bill, which gave into Republican demands for increased checks for citizenship, the quick phasing-out of adult coverage, a hard limit of 300% of the federal poverty level and funding for families that covered their children through private insurance instead. Republicans, angry that the vote was scheduled during massive fires in California, blocked the veto override. Doolittle voted against the bill.
Campaign Finances
Between 2005 and 2006 John Doolittle raised a total of $2,354,786 for his political campaign. 65.1% of his finances came from private donors, 34.5% from PACs, and 0.3% from other various sources. 54.3% of the PAC contributions came from business organizations while the other 45.7% came from labor and ideological groups. At the end of his 2005–2006 political campaign 98.4% of his finances were completely disclosed. According to the FEC (Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
) John Doolittle has raised a total of $278,142 this year.
Controversies
On September 20, 2006, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is a nonprofit 501 organization that describes itself as "dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials – regardless of party affiliation – who sacrifice the common good to...
(CREW) a group headed by former Democratic Congressional staffer Melanie Sloan, released its second annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress, titled "Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch)". Doolittle was one of the 20. The organization said "His ethics issues stem from his wife’s relationship to his campaign and political action committees, as well as campaign contributions and personal financial benefits he accepted from those who sought his legislative assistance." He was also listed in CREW's subsequent 2007 and 2008 reports.
On June 11, 2010 the U.S. Attorney announced that after a 4 year investigation they had closed its case against Congressman Doolittle and would not pursue charges. Doolittle, who had consistently denied wrong doing, expressed regret that so many lives and careers had been impacted by the misguided investigation that forced him from office but indicated relief that it was finally over.
Abramoff connections
John Doolittle has been entangled in the scandal involving Jack AbramoffJack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
. On September 27, 2007, he indicated that he planned to fight a Justice Department subpoena for 11 years of records as part of that department's investigation into his conduct.
Doolittle has denied any wrongdoing. In connection with the matter, he has hired David Barger, a criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor from Ken Starr's office, and Wiley Rein LLP, a law firm that specializes in campaign finance and government ethics. Doolittle has estimated that he received about $50,000 from clients of Abramoff, mostly Indian tribes. Abramoff also personally donated $14,000 over the period 1999–2004 to Doolittle's congressional campaigns. After Doolittle's Chief of Staff Kevin A. Ring
Kevin A. Ring
Kevin A. Ring is a former lobbyist and Republican Congressional staffer. He was a figure in the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal scandal. After leaving Team Abramoff at Greenberg Traurig in 2005, he joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP law firm in Washington, DC...
left to work for Abramoff, Ring helped arrange for Abramoff to hire a consulting firm owned by Doolittle's wife. Doolittle also used Abramoff's luxury sports box for a fundraiser without initially reporting it. Doolittle is currently being investigated by a federal probe into his relationship with Abramoff. On April 13, 2007, Doolittle's former aide, Kevin Ring, resigned from his lobby firm. On the same day, the FBI raided Doolittle's Virginia home. On September 4, 2007, the House announced that Doolittle's Chief of Staff Ron Rogers and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Blankenburg were subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury.
Small towns pressured to hire lobbyists
Dan Landon, a Republican and the executive director of the Nevada County Transportation Commission, said that he was told recently by Doolittle's staff that "it also doesn't hurt to have a lobbyist". Sharon Atteberry, city administrator for the city of OrovilleOroville, California
Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census...
, said she had also been urged to hire a lobbyist by Doolittle's staff. "They encouraged us that a lobbyist is very important to any city or county government" she said.
Activities of Julie Doolittle
During the 2001–2005 period, Julie Doolittle had at least three different occupations: she worked for Jack Abramoff doing event planning (see above); she worked as a bookkeeper for a lobbying firm; and she worked on commission as a fundraiser for her husband. Payments to Julie Doolittle during the period were done via a company called Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions. It was founded in March 2001, just after Congressman Doolittle gained a seat on the Appropriations Committee. It is based at the couple's home in Oakton, VirginiaOakton, Virginia
Oakton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the United States. The population was 29,348 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 22124.-Geography:Oakton is located at...
; Julie is the only employee. The company (that is, Julie) has continued to do fundraising, but no event planning or other work, since the Abramoff scandal first became public in early 2005.
Work for lobbying firm
From 2002 until mid-2005, the Alexander Strategy GroupAlexander Strategy Group
Alexander Strategy Group was an American lobbying firm involved in the K Street Project, founded by Ed Buckham and his wife Wendy. Buckham is a former chief of staff of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and the firm openly promoted its access to DeLay. Its chief lobbyist was Paul Behrends.In...
, a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
lobbying firm with close ties to Congressman Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
, paid Sierra Dominion for bookkeeping work for a nonprofit group called the Korea-U.S. Exchange Council (KORUSEC), created by Ed Buckham
Ed Buckham
Edwin A. Buckham is a former congressional staffer and lobbyist, who presently is under investigation in various scandals surrounding high-profile lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Congressman Tom DeLay...
, a partner in the firm, and located at the ASG headquarters. KORUSEC is also connected to Kevin Ring, one of Doolittle's former assistants.
ASG is now closed due to the scandals surrounding Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
. Julie Doolittle's records regarding her work there were subpoenaed by the Department of Justice.
Fundraising commissions from Doolittle campaign revenues
Sierra Dominion charges Doolittle's campaign and his Superior California Political Action Committee a fifteen percent commission on any contribution that Julie Doolittle helps bring in. As of March 2006, federal and state campaign records show that she had received nearly $180,000 in commissions from for such fundraising since late 2001. Doolittle aides said even though the PAC had made payments to other fundraisers, Julie Doolittle was entitled to 15 percent of all money the PAC brought in because those donations were raised at events she helped organize.In December 2005, Richard Robinson, Doolittle's Chief of Staff, defended the commission structure. "Sierra Dominion's compensation is based entirely on performance in that it receives a percentage in what it is directly involved in raising. This arrangement is not only consistent with that of other fund raisers but is designed to avoid the appearance that Sierra Dominion is compensated for anything other than its tireless and effective work. Any suggestion otherwise is completely without merit."
In 2006, the 27,000-member Association of Fundraising Professionals released a letter it had sent to Doolittle, declaring that his wife's activities violated the Association's ethics code, in that their code "explicitly prohibits percentage-based compensation".
In January 2007, Doolittle announced that he would no longer employ his wife as his campaign fundraiser. Instead, he said, he would hire an outside fundraiser. But in July 2007, his campaign reported expenses of $50,000 for fundraising by Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions during the April–June 2007 period. The company was also still owed $76,000 in commissions from the 2006 race.
2005 trip to Asia
KORUSEC, which employed Doolittle's wife (see above) and the U.S.-Malaysia Exchange Association, another non-profit firm operated by ASG, paid the $29,400 cost of what was described as a "fact finding mission" to South Korea and Malaysia by Doolittle accompanied by his 12-year-old daughter in 2005. This trip included a stop at the Berjaya Beach & Spa Resort on the Malaysian island of LangkawiLangkawi
Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border...
.
KORUSEC and the U.S.-Malaysia Exchange Association, which were operated by a Washington lobbying firm, Alexander Strategy Group
Alexander Strategy Group
Alexander Strategy Group was an American lobbying firm involved in the K Street Project, founded by Ed Buckham and his wife Wendy. Buckham is a former chief of staff of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and the firm openly promoted its access to DeLay. Its chief lobbyist was Paul Behrends.In...
, were, as of November 2006, being investigated by the FBI as possible conduits for illegal influence in U.S. affairs by a foreign corporation (KORUSEC) and a foreign government (USMEA). A spokeswoman for Doolittle said that he believed that his trip was proper and that it had nothing to do with the earmarks.
Connections to Brent Wilkes
PerfectWave is a company owned by Brent R. Wilkes; Doolittle has had significant involvement with both. Wilkes has become controversial because disgraced Congressman Duke CunninghamDuke Cunningham
Randall Harold Cunningham , usually known as Randy or Duke, is United States Navy veteran, convicted felon, and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California's 50th Congressional District from 1991 to 2005.Cunningham resigned from the House on November 28,...
admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and favors from Wilkes for his efforts to help another of Wilkes' companies, ADCS Inc.
In 2002, Wilkes hired the Alexander Strategy Group
Alexander Strategy Group
Alexander Strategy Group was an American lobbying firm involved in the K Street Project, founded by Ed Buckham and his wife Wendy. Buckham is a former chief of staff of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and the firm openly promoted its access to DeLay. Its chief lobbyist was Paul Behrends.In...
(ASG) to do lobbying for the PerfectWave. In November, 2003, Wilkes hosted a fund-raising dinner for Doolittle. Between 2002 to 2005, Doolittle received at least $118,000 in campaign contributions from Wilkes, PerfectWave associates and their wives, and ASG lobbyists Edwin A. Buckham and Tony C. Rudy (two former aides of Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
) and their wives.
Doolittle, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said in January, 2006 that he had helped steer defense funds totaling $37 million to PerfectWave ($1 million in 2002, $18 million in 2003, and then $18 million in 2004.) Doolittle said that his support was based "on the project's merits and the written support of the military." But the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "The money was not requested by the Navy but was instead inserted by the Appropriations Committee as part of the closed-door congressional earmarking process." They further reported that "[T]he only evidence Doolittle's office could provide to show military support for the project was a letter of praise from Robert Lusardi, a program manager for light armored vehicles at the Marine Corps dated Feb. 25 — two and a half years after PerfectWave got its first earmark. By the time Lusardi wrote his letter, the company had received at least $37 million in earmarks."
In February 2006, Doolittle said that he was glad he supported PerfectWave, saying "it has unique technology ... that ensures the safety of our armed forces in the war on terror.
Investigation of Charles Hurwitz
On January 8, 2006, the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported that "Reps. John T. Doolittle and Richard W. Pombo joined forces with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to oppose an investigation by federal banking regulators into the affairs of Houston millionaire Charles Hurwitz, documents recently obtained by The Times show." Furthermore, "When the FDIC persisted, Doolittle and Pombo — both considered proteges of DeLay — used their power as members of the House Resources Committee to subpoena the agency's confidential records on the case, including details of the evidence FDIC investigators had compiled on Hurwitz." The FDIC investigation was ultimately dropped.
The Times reported that "Although Washington politicians frequently try to help important constituents and contributors, it is unusual for members of Congress to take direct steps to stymie an ongoing investigation by an agency such as the FDIC." The article concluded, "in the Hurwitz case, Doolittle and Pombo were in a position to pressure the FDIC and did so."
On April 19, 2007, Doolittle resigned from the Committee on Appropriations in response to a raid by the FBI at his Northern Virginia home. The raid stemmed from possible involvement by his wife in the Abramoff investigation.
2008 re-election campaign
Democrat Charlie BrownCharles Brown (California)
Charles Duane 'Charlie' Brown is a retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel and was the Democratic nominee for Congress in the 2006 election and the 2008 election for California's 4th congressional district.-Life and career:...
, a retired Lt. Colonel who lost to Doolittle in 2006 by only 3 percent of the vote, announced in February 2007 that he would run again in 2008. Brown outraised Doolittle in the first and second quarters of 2007; as of June 30, he had a net cash balance of $251,000; Doolittle had a negative balance of $32,000.
In August 2007, former Placer County
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
Republican Party chairman Ken Campbell, a longtime financial backer of Doolittle, said he was withdrawing his support. Campbell cited a recent Club for Growth
Club for Growth
The Club for Growth is a politically conservative 527 organization active in the United States of America, with an agenda focussed on taxation and other economic issues, and with an affiliated political action committee . The Club advocates lower taxes, limited government, less government spending,...
report on votes in 2007 on spending bills, where Doolittle scored 2 percent, compared to the Republican average of 43 percent.
In July 2007, Eric Egland, a 37-year-old Air Force reservist and security consultant, announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for the seat held by Doolittle. In August 2007, Auburn
Auburn, California
Auburn is the county seat of Placer County, California. Its population at the 2010 census was 13,330. Auburn is known for its California Gold Rush history.Auburn is part of the Greater Sacramento area.- History :...
City Councilman Mike Holmes announced that he also was entering the 2008 race. Holmes ran unsuccessfully against Doolittle for the Republican nomination in 2006, getting 33 percent of the primary vote to 67 percent for Doolittle.
On August 30, 2007, State Assemblyman Ted Gaines announced the establishment of an exploratory committee to begin raising money to run for Congress against Doolittle, stating "I think voters have lost faith in his leadership ability...when you lose the moral ability to lead, you kind of have to re-evaluate."
Doolittle lashed back at Gaines, saying, "After spending the last month talking to local voters, I have seen strong support for my candidacy and a strong desire to focus on solving problems instead of plotting for political advantage...I will gladly place before the voters my record of over 30 years of service to the Republican Party to Ted Gaines' less than one year."
After much speculation, on January 10, 2008, John Doolittle announced he would finish his current term, and not run for re-election.
After Doolittle's retirement announcement, Councilman Holmes quit the race and instead endorsed former Republican Congressman Doug Ose
Doug Ose
Douglas Arlo "Doug" Ose is a former California congressman who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005, representing California's 3rd Congressional District...
, who announced on February 1, 2008 that he is running for Doolittle's seat. Ose faced opposition from former California State Senator Rico Oller
Rico Oller
Thomas "Rico" Oller is a Republican U.S. politician from California. He served in the California State Assembly, representing the 4th District from 1996 to 2000, and the California State Senate, representing the 1st district from 2000 to 2004...
(R-San Andreas), who announced his candidacy on January 10, 2008. When California State Senator Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock
Thomas Miller McClintock II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Assemblyman and state Senator...
(R-Thousand Oaks) announced that he too was running for Doolittle's seat on March 4, 2008, Oller dropped out of the race, and decided to give his endorsement to McClintock. Although he didn't live in the district, McClintock beat Charlie Brown in the general election by only 1,800 votes.
External links
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — John Doolittle — profile
- John Doolittle for Congress — Official campaign site
- Legislation sponsored or cosponsored
- 107th Congress Sponsored Cosponsored
- 108th Congress Sponsored Cosponsored
- 109th Congress Sponsored Cosponsored
- 110th Congress Sponsored Cosponsored
Articles
- Suspect Doolittle says he'll fight subpoenas Dennis Zaki, AlaskaReport.com, September 27, 2007
- Lawmakers Under Scrutiny in Probe of Lobbyist Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi, The Washington Post, November 26, 2005
- The Daily Muck Paul Kiel's blog, January 24, 2006, Doolittle's contributions from Abramoff
- Abramoff Ties Continue to Weigh Down Doolittle in Calif. 4 Rachel Kapochunas, The New York Times, October 19, 2006
- Auburn Dam Structural Info
- Auburn Dam - WikipediaAuburn DamAuburn Dam was a proposed dam on the North Fork of the American River east of the town of Auburn, California in the United States, on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties. Slated to be completed in the 1970s by the U.S...