Friday, 11 January 2008 00:55
Rep. John Doolittle Says He'll Retire
Representative John Doolittle of California announced his retirement from Congress on Thursday quoting the Bible,
“This circumstance reminds me of a passage in the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy: ‘The time
has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the
race. I have kept the faith.’ ” Doolittle had said as recently as last
October that he planned to run for
another term but at a news conference in Roseville, Doolittle said, “I plan to
complete my term and finish my Congressional service at the conclusion of this
Congress.
The
Justice Department has been investigating Doolittle’s relationship to convicted
lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Doolittle resigned from the House
Appropriations Committee after the FBI searched his Virginia home last spring. Doolittle did not
mention his legal troubles at the press conference. He said that he had decided
to retire “after much prayer and deliberation.” Doolittle has served 9 terms as California’s 4th Congressional
District, but barely won re-election in 2006. Meanwhile, other Republicans are
lining up to run for Doolittle's office. Eric Egland, an Air Force
reservist, and former Auburn Mayor Mike Holmes are running in the June primary.
Others expected to join the Republican race are former state Senator Rico
Oller, former Representative Doug Ose and State Assemblyman Ted Gaines of Granite Bay.
