Prosecutors Subpoena Rep. John Doolittle, Staffers For Documents In Corruption Probe

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Justice Department recently subpoenaed Rep. John Doolittle and five of the California Republican’s staffers for documents as part of its corruption investigation.

The nine-term congressman gave no indication whether he planned to comply. “These efforts raise serious constitutional issues going to the very core of our separation of powers created by the Founding Fathers,” Doolittle’s attorney David Barger said in a news release issued Thursday by the congressman’s office. Doolittle did not identify the documents being sought.

Prosecutors are investigating connections between Doolittle and convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Abramoff influence-peddling investigation already has netted a dozen convictions, including a guilty plea from one congressman, Bob Ney, R-Ohio, who resigned amid the probe. “The rest of the Congress would be well served to pay attention to the message the Executive Branch seems to be sending about whether the three branches are truly co-equal,” Barger said.

Earlier this month, two congressional aides were called before a federal grand jury as part of the investigation. The staffers who have been subpoenaed have assured they are merely witnesses, not targets of the investigation, Doolittle said.

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