Melanie Sloan made the following statement today after the retirement announcement of Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA):

Given that Rep. Doolittle's relationship with convicted felon and former lobbyist Jack Abramoff has long been the subject of a federal criminal investigation, as has his relationship with convicted felon and former businessman Brent Wilkes, his announcement today that he will not seek re-election is overdue. Rep. Doolittle's constituents deserve a representative focused on their needs, rather than one focused on his own legal problems.

Rep. Doolittle was included in CREW's annual list of the most corrupt members of Congress - Beyond Delay: The 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and two to watch). Rep. Doolittle's profile can be found here.