FBI raids Doolittle's home in Virginia

The FBI has raided the northern Virginia home of Rep. John Doolittle (R-Roseville), seizing documents and computers related to his wife's business.

For more than two years, Julie Doolittle's fundraising business, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions Inc., has been under investigation for alleged ties to jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Justice Department's investigation has focused on payments made by Abramoff to Doolittle's wife and other spouses of lawmakers.

"My wife has been cooperating with the FBI and the Justice Department for almost three years, and that cooperation is going to continue in the future," Doolittle said. "I support my wife 100 percent and fully expect that the truth will prevail."

Doolittle's lawyer David Barger added, "The search was limited to financial documents related to Mrs. Doolittle's company and not to Congressman Doolittle. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we will have no further comment."

Julie Doolittle has denied any wrongdoing.

The raid occurred Friday, the same day that Doolittle's former longtime aide, Kevin Ring, abruptly resigned from the Indianapolis law firm where he worked. After working for Doolittle, Ring went on to work for Abramoff and then the Midwest law firm.

The FBI raid, as well as Ring's resignation, could portend deepening problems for Doolittle in the Abramoff inquiry.

"It's a typical prosecutorial methodology to work their way up the ladder, put pressure on underlings, cut a deal with them to save their skin and bring in the bigger fish," Kenneth Gross, an ethics expert at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, told The Politico, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

The pressure on Doolittle also comes as control of Congress has shifted from Republicans to Democrats.

"This is a sad day for the people of the 4th District, for our Congress and our country," said Democrat Charlie Brown, who lost to Doolittle in last November's election but is considering running against him again in 2008. "It is my sincere hope that the ongoing investigation will bring the era of corruption and scandal-ridden politics to a close."

Although Brown lost to Doolittle in the district, he beat the incumbent in Nevada County.

As reported previously, Sierra Dominion's clients also have included Doolittle's campaign committees - providing Julie Doolittle's company a 15-percent cut of all donations for his household. Although apparently legal, the deal raised repeated concerns about a conflict of interest.

In January, Doolittle said his wife would no longer be employed as his campaign fundraiser.

Abramoff also hired Julie Doolittle's business to help raise funds for a charity. Ring was an intermediary in the hiring, sources told the Washington Post.

Julie Doolittle was also paid about $30,000 for bookkeeping work for a nonprofit set up by the Alexander Strategy Group, the newspaper reported, adding that lawmakers including Doolittle "were in positions to help other Alexander Strategy clients."

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The Washington Post contributed to this report.

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To contact Editor Jeff Pelline, e-mail jeffp@theunion.com or call 477-4235.