CA-04: Update on John Doolittle

Congressional Rep. John Doolittle is listed in a WaPo article regarding the recently released House members' 2007 financial disclosure forms. Doolittle is utilized as an example of a U.S. Representative whose personal fortune has "taken a turn for the worse."

Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), whose home in Virginia was raided last year in connection with the probe of imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff's ties to Congress, reported $15,001 to $50,000 in credit card debt, a similar range to what he reported last year. The Justice Department is examining work his wife's fundraising business performed earlier this decade for Abramoff. Doolittle has denied any wrongdoing.

Doolittle reported donations of $66,000 to his legal defense fund last year. They included a $5,000 contribution from House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) in the last quarter of 2007.

Additionally, the AP has published an up-to-date roster of "People convicted in the Abramoff investigation" for those of us who are still paying attention.

CA 04: McClintock wins GOP primary

Big Dog bags it. McClintock received 54 percent of the vote to Doug Ose's 39 percent.

Republican voters in Northern California's 4th Congressional District responded to state Sen. Tom McClintock's call for a return to conservative principles, making him their nominee to replace incumbent Rep. John Doolittle, R-Rocklin.

It was California's most hotly contested congressional primary, but in the end McClintock won easily Tuesday over former Rep. Doug Ose. He survived nearly $3 million in attacks from Ose that sought to portray him as a carpet-bagging career politician. (read more)

California Congressional District 4: Mr. Limited Government, Tom McCarpetbagger, At the Trough Taking $306,000 of Public Money

Oh Yeah!!

"State Sen. Tom McClintock, a fierce critic of government spending, has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax-free per diem payments from the state that are meant to help legislators who, unlike McClintock, live far from the capital.

"The Republican lawmaker said he is entitled to the $170-a-day payments because his legal residence is a family home in his Senate district of Thousand Oaks, where he is registered to vote.

"McClintock and his family live year-round in Elk Grove, 14 miles from the state Capitol. He moved to the Sacramento suburb in 1996, when he was elected to the state Assembly, and he bought a five-bedroom, 4,090-square-foot home in 2004. His children attend Elk Grove schools and his wife works at a Baptist church there.

"The intent of the payments is to help defray the living costs of lawmakers attending the eight-month legislative session far from their homes.

"Legal experts say McClintock is taking advantage of a loophole that gives him a right to the tax-free payments even though he lives near the Capitol.

""This certainly strikes me as an example of the abuse of the per diem system," said Derek Cressman, government watchdog director for California Common Cause."

Ask Big Daddy

Capitol Weekly

Dear Big Daddy,

As a Republican, I’m laughing at the Dems for running Doolittle out of town. Now they’re gonna be stuck with Tom McClintock, lol!
— Out of the Frying Pan

Big Daddy replies:

"[...]By re-electing Doolittle last time, the districts voters sent a clear signal that this is a Republican district until Jesus puts on a DNC pin and throws his hat in the ring — and even then only if the Big J says the right things about taxes. So what do California Dems really lose here? McClintock will be far, far away — and he actually drinks the fiscal Kool-Aid that all those borrow-and-spend Republicans in Washington like to talk about. If he goes to D.C. and crops some earmarks, this Dem won’t be crying too hard."

CA-04:Tom "Big Dog" McClintock Enters Race

Following Doug Ose's lead, Republican State Senator Tom McClintock formally announced his entry into the contest for John Doolittle's seat in Congress on the steps in front of the Auburn courthouse. He was immediately recognized as alpha dog by Oller, Gaines, and Egland. From the LA Times:

... Early polls by McClintock and others suggest that he is the instant front-runner in the contest to replace retiring Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville), who is stepping down amid a federal corruption probe.

Indeed, minutes after McClintock's announcement, former state Sen. Rico Oller and Eric Egland, a Republican Party activist, announced that they were dropping out of the primary and endorsing him. ...

McClintock said he would seek to return the Republican Party in Washington to the ideals of his hero, President Reagan. In a far-ranging speech, McClintock voiced opposition to excessive spending and taxation, and vowed to work for the protection of property rights and the "right to self-defense."

He also signaled that immigration would be a key issue in his campaign and talked about border security. ...

To address the criticism that he is an outsider, McClintock won endorsements Tuesday from several political leaders in the congressional district he hopes to represent. They include Assemblymen Ted Gaines (R-Roseville), who praised McClintock as "an individual who will represent the interest of the people in keeping taxes low and keeping government small."

McClintock said he plans to move into the congressional district eventually and predicted that having represented a district in Ventura County would not be held against him.

"Most voters are far more interested in where a candidate stands than where he lives," McClintock said.

A political maverick, McClintock said he is not unknown to those he wants to represent, because he has been on the statewide ballot seven times while running for lieutenant governor, state controller and governor and received "overwhelming margins" of support.

For those tracking the Republican primary the current candidates are McClintock, Ose and Terbolizard.

Brent Wilkes Gets 12 years in the Pokey

Brent Wilkes, one of the many friends John Doolittle made while sitting on the House Appropriations Committee, received his sentence today in San Diego. Brent Wilkes faced charges stemming from his "friendship" with Duke Cunningham.

Brent Wilkes, the Poway defense contractor who federal prosecutors contend was the mastermind behind the largest congressional bribery scheme in history, was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday. (Read more)

CA-04: McClintock expected to announce

California State Senator, Tom McClintock has put out the word to media outlets that he will make his announcement about running for the 4th congressional district seat later this week. Eric "Major Danger" Egland says if McClintock's in then he will bow out.

“I started this campaign because I wanted to offer ethical, conservative leadership that I believe is missing from Congress,” Egland said. “I cannot think of a person more qualified to carry that torch. He has proven to be a man of uncompromising principle and integrity throughout his years of public service.”

CA-04: Move over little dog

John Myers of KQED passes along a rumor originating with Roll Call about Tom McClintock's anticipated entry into the Republican primary contest for John Doolittle's vacated seat in Congress.

As George Thorogood would belt out:

So move it on over, rock it on over,
move over little dog, the big old dog is movin' in