The Sacramento Bee is reporting that a military reservist, Eric Egland, is seriously looking at running against Congressman John Doolittle in next year’s GOP primary in the 4th District. FR readers know that Doolittle has been at the center of controversy stemming from his wife Julie’s professional relationship with the now-imprisoned lobbyist-turned-crook Jack Abramoff, the Doolittle’s personal friendship with Abramoff, and the fact that in a rather public and high profile way, investigators with the FBI are looking very closely at the Abramoff/Doolittle connection (fairly recently a subpoena was served on the Doolittle home, where Julie has her home-office).
No on has accused either the Congressman or his wife of criminal wrongdoing. That said, when you are in elective office, and are seeking re-election, you aren’t in a court of law, but rather a court of public opinion. Given the poor publicity that Doolittle has received, and given the sour-taste in the mouths of voters from actual proven corruption on the Hill (Duke Cunningham, et.al), it is unclear whether the public will make a distinction between the convicted, and the accused, or in the case of Doolittle, the unconvincted and unaccused. It would be very interesting to see a credible survey that shows how Doolittle would fare against a Democrat opponent next November, after barely getting re-elected last year (in a seat that was specifically carved to only elect a Republican).
This is a great opportunity for me to share with FlashReport readers that I have known John and Julie for eighteen years, and have found them both to be honorable and good people. Frankly, I would be extremely shocked (to put it mildly) if either of them were convicted for any wrongdoing. But there is also no doubt that Jack Abramoff, who turned out to be a terrible person, and a common crook, has really dragged down a lot of politicians around him just because of his association with them (Richard Pombo’s innocent connection to Abramoff was used as a campaign tool against him, and he lost a pretty close race last year in a neighboring district).
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