Rep. John Doolittle, twice named one of the most corrupt members of Congress by CREW in our annual report Beyond DeLay, is being urged to forsake re-election. One of those providing that advice is former Rep. Richard Pombo, who is another Beyond DeLay designee. Pombo was defeated in his 2006 re-election bid. Pombo and Doolittle were the subjects of a brutal editorial by the San Jose Mercury News in October of 2006 over their ethical failings and ties to Jack Abramoff:

As speculation mounts about his future, Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) is being urged by friends and colleagues not to seek reelection.

Republican operatives fear that if Doolittle does not retire at the end of this Congress and survives what would be a bruising GOP primary, they will lose the nine-term lawmaker’s seat. Doolittle is under an ethics cloud, having had his Virginia house investigated by the FBI last year. Several prominent Republicans are seeking to defeat him in the primary.

According to three well-placed Republican sources, former Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) — who lost his seat amid ethics allegations — has called on longtime friend Doolittle to not seek reelection in the interest of keeping the district a GOP stronghold. In the last Congress, Pombo was a panel chairman while Doolittle was a member of GOP leadership.

Pombo could not be reached for comment.

The Mercury News lambastes Congressmen Richard Pombo and John Doolittle (both of whom were named to CREW's list of 20 most corrupt members of Congress in "Beyond DeLay.") It's a brutal indictment of their unethical behavior:

Even gerrymandering can't guarantee the re-election of California Republican Congressmen Richard Pombo and John Doolittle. Many voters have had it with their money-grubbing and their party's influence-peddling. It's about time.

Pombo and Doolittle are the only two of the state's 53 members of Congress, and are among only 40 Congress members nationwide, whose re-elections are in doubt.

Doolittle, who's seeking his ninth term, has had a safe seat in a majority Republican district running from the Oregon and Nevada borders to northeastern Sacramento. The same is true with Pombo, seeking his eighth term in a Central Valley district that reaches into Morgan Hill.

But not this year. Both have been singed by their association with convicted super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and by their own fundraising and spending practices.

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) was named one of the 20 most corrupt Members of Congress in "Beyond DeLay."  Pombo had multiple ethical issues: accepting campaign contributions in return for legislative assistance; keeping family members on his campaign payroll; and misusing official resources.  Now, AP is reporting that Pombo does have an Abramoff connection:

California Rep. Richard Pombo has insisted he was never lobbied by Jack Abramoff. Records show the disgraced lobbyist billed a client for at least two contacts with Pombo a decade ago.

The lobbying records released by the Northern Mariana Islands show that Abramoff billed once for calls to Pombo, chairman of the House Resources Committee, and a second time for a discussion with him, while lobbying in 1996.

On more than two dozen other occasions from 1996 through 2001, Abramoff associates called or met with members of Pombo's staff, including his chief of staff, the records indicate. As the contacts picked up, Pombo voted Abramoff's way on a bill important to Abramoff's clients.

None of this should come as a surprise to anyone who has followed Pombo's unethical tenure in Congress.  

We'll continue to monitor. 

Hat tip to Josh Marshall for leading us to an article on the expansion of the Alaska oil money scandal. Seems the FBI investigation, which has ensnared several Alaskan state legislators, including the son of Ted Stevens, may also engulf Congressman Richard Pombo:

Republican Senate candidate Mike McGavick of Washington State was one recipient of VECO largesse. But he returned $14,000 in contributions from VECO executives the day after the raid. VECO ranked tenth on the list of his campaign donors.

It appears the VECO donations came after Alaska Senator Stevens threw his support to McGavick in his race against Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell. This came after Cantwell stymied Steven's plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. McGavick supports Stevens' plan.

But, while McGavick may have returned the money, Congressman Richard Pombo of Tracy has not. A month before the House Resources Committee, of which Pombo is chair, added a provision to open ANWR to a budget reconciliation bill, Rep. Pombo took almost the same amount from Alaskan donors for his political action committee-40% of which came from VECO executives.

Pombo is one of the members of Congress featured in Beyond DeLay: the Thirteen most corrupt members of Congress. CREW drafted an ethics and IRS complaint against Pombo in May for several violations of federal law.