WASHINGTON – Rep. John Doolittle on Monday summoned supporters to a meeting this week for "news about our plans for 2008" as the political community speculated he may be ready to bow out without seeking a 10th term in Congress.
As the Justice Department has investigated Doolittle and his wife in connection with their relationship to jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Doolittle has insisted he would run for re-election.
The message he sent reviewed what he sees as his accomplishments in office, securing funds for projects ranging from the Lincoln Bypass on Highway 65 to emergency response equipment for Oroville.
"You have been an important part of my election efforts, and I want you to get the inside news directly from me and my campaign advisors," Doolittle wrote in an e-mail inviting backers to a "Team Doolittle briefing" Thursday morning in Roseville.
He went on tell his supporters, "I am eager to get your perspective on numerous issues currently facing our country. I hope you will feel free to share with me any question or comment you may have."
The latest rumors of Doolittle's imminent retirement announcement were contained in an item published Monday on the California Majority Report Web site.
Unsubstantiated reports on blogs have indicated Doolittle will opt not to run again and instead cast his support behind former state Sen. Rico Oller, R-San Andreas.
Oller said late Monday that he has "heard the same rumors," but has not talked to Doolittle since an encounter at a Christmas party.
"He sounded to me like a guy who was running," he said. "I've made it clear that if he chooses not to that I am going to run. I would think I would be one person he would contact. That hasn't happened."
Ron Rogers, the congressman's chief of staff, dismissed the reports as "old rumors" but then went on to confuse matters by saying that Doolittle would make some kind of announcement this month but he wasn't sure what it would be.
"I'm not speculating on anything other than the next 24 hours," Rogers said. "As far as I am concerned, he is definitely running for re-election."
Last month Doolittle revealed that the Abramoff investigation has been stalled by a constitutional fight over the government's access under subpoena to some of his official records, and that it could be a year to two before prosecutors reach a decision on whether to charge him with a crime.
The Justice Department confirmed that political corruption cases on Capitol Hill have been stalled in a court filing with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn a ruling restricting prosecutor access to records seized from the office of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. The filing did not mention Doolittle.
The delay means that Doolittle would be going before voters for a second time with the question of whether he will face federal prosecution unanswered.
The last time, in November 2006, Democrat Charlie Brown came within three points of defeating Doolittle. Brown is running again this year and has banked substantially more money than the congressman for the contest.
The Doolittle investigation is hampering the congressman's ability to raise money for what is certain to be an expensive campaign.
Before the November general election, Doolittle would face at least two Republican challengers – retired Air Force officer Eric Egland and Auburn City Councilman Mike Holmes – in the June primary.
A third, state Assemblyman Ted Gaines, formed an exploratory committee last fall to test the waters against his former political comrade but has not said whether he will run.
If Doolittle decides not to seek re-election, the race among Republicans to keep the seat in GOP hands is certain to intensify.
Doolittle had initially backed Oller in 2004 for the 3rd District House seat that former Rep. Doug Ose, R-Sacramento, gave up. After former state Attorney General Dan Lungren, R-Gold River, jumped into that contest, Doolittle professed neutrality and Lungren won the primary and later the seat.
But the primary battle revealed strong acrimony between Oller, a wealthy building supplies distributor and Ose, a developer who made a fortune in the mini-storage business. Ose's sister, Mary Ose, spent more than $1 million in her own campaign for her brother's old seat, and had his strong endorsement.
Doug Ose, another possible candidate should Doolittle step down, said Monday he has heard nothing to support rumors that Doolittle is quitting the race.
Doolittle has been under pressure from the House Republican leadership to retire because of concerns that Brown has a better shot this year of winning the seat.
Last year, the Doolittle campaign contested the notion that Doolittle was under investigation, but all doubts disappeared on April 13 when the FBI raided the Doolittle home in search of records belonging to Julie Doolittle's business that did work for Abramoff.
Later Doolittle said that the search followed efforts by federal prosecutors to get him to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit. He said that prosecutors believe Julie Doolittle was paid for work she didn't do as a way to compensate the congressman for help he gave to Abramoff's clients.
Calls to the National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republican Leader John Boenher's office and other congressional Republicans from California reached no one who could confirm the retirement report.
One of Doolittle's closer friends, former state Sen. Tim Leslie of Carmichael, said he also had heard nothing about the congressman leaving Congress.
"I saw him during the Christmas holidays and it was full speed ahead," Leslie said.
Doolittle's attorney, David Barger, did not return phone calls to his office.
Call David Whitney, McClatchy Washington Bureau, (202) 383-0004.
