John Doolittle’s corruption sure is getting lots of play in the press. First, in district with the three part cover story in the Sacramento News and Review (1, 2, 3 — complete with Doolittlepoly PDF) and Doolittle’s meltdown in the Auburn Journal.

And now DC is paying attention. Tomorrow’s edition of The Hill has a story on Doolittle’s Alberto Gonzalez conspiracy. And tonight, Congressional Quarterly took a look at the race with a piece entitled, Skies Haven’t Brightened for California Rep. Doolittle Since ’06 Close Call.

Which is bad news for Doolittle, because in 2006 the inside-the-beltway crowd didn’t realize this was a race. Sure, Karl Rove could smell the fear and sent Bush out and the NRCC spent a pretty penny, yet the pundits and DCCC didn’t catch on until too late. But both the pundits and the DCCC are all over CA-04 now.

Speaking of the DCCC, check out their great new video and view their timeline of the scandal:

April 16, 2007 — The Washington Post reports that Kevin Ring is resigning from his law firm, Barnes & Thornburg. [Washington Post, 4/15/07]

April 13, 2007 — The FBI searches Doolittle’s home in northern Virginia that he shares with his wife, Julie. [The Hill, 4/18/07]

March 12, 2007 — Doolittle pays $3,500 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 4/15/07]

February 28, 2007 — Doolittle pays $3,500 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 4/15/07]

February 13, 2007 — Doolittle pays $3,016.05 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 4/15/07]

January 30, 2007 — Doolittle pays $3,500 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 4/15/07]

January 23, 2007 — Doolittle announces that he wants his wife to continue raising money for his political action committee. [Associated Press, 1/24/07]

January 12, 2007 — Doolittle writes in an op-ed that he will no longer employ his wife as his campaign fundraiser, and instead would hire an outside fundraiser. [Associated Press, 1/12/07]

December 11, 2006 — Doolittle pays $20,000 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 4/09/07]

November 15, 2006 — Doolittle pays $40,000 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/08/07]

October 27, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,009.61 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/08/07]

October 2, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,007.14 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/08/07]

September 30, 2006 — Doolittle pays $19,306.38 in legal fees to Williams Mullen from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

August 31, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,001.77 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. He also pays $10,916.10 in legal fees to Williams Mullen. [FEC, 2/05/07]

August 10, 2006 — Doolittle pays $11,002.15 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. He also pays $8,156 in legal fees to Williams Mullen. [FEC, 2/05/07]

July 20, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,002.92 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

May 28, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,008.55 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

May 5, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,274.60 in legal fees to Williams Mullen from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

April 27, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,001.35 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

April 3, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,001.35 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

March 28, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,006.35 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

March 2, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,002.85 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

February 21, 2006 — Doolittle pays $1,002.75 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

January 27, 2006 — Doolittle pays $10,000 in legal fees to Williams Mullen from his campaign account. [FEC, 2/05/07]

January 3, 2006 — Abramoff pleads guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion. [Associated Press, 1/05/06]

December 6, 2005 — Doolittle pays $1,001.55 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 1/25/07]

November 10, 2005 — Doolittle pays $2,004.90 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 1/25/07]

November 2005 — Doolittle acknowledges that his wife has been subpoenaed in the grand jury investigating Abramoff’s activities. [New York Times, 11/20/05; Sacramento Bee, 11/30/05]

September 6, 2005 — Doolittle pays $1,003.05 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 1/08/07]

August 10, 2005 — Doolittle pays $1,003.05 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 1/08/07]

June 20, 2005 — Doolittle pays $1,017.35 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 1/08/07]

June 8, 2005 — Doolittle pays $1,000 in legal fees to Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP from his campaign account. [FEC, 1/08/07]

October 2003 — Doolittle writes a letter to the Interior Secretary appealing for quicker action for a Massachusetts tribe, the Mashpee Wampanoag, seeking federal recognition. The tribe is an Abramoff client. [Associated Press, 1/29/06]

June 2003 — Doolittle writes a letter to the Interior Secretary criticizing the Bureau of Indian Affairs for “undermining” a recall effort on the Meskwaki settlement. [Sacramento Bee, 2/12/06]

Early June, 2003 — Kevin Ring brings members of the Iowa Meskwaki tribe to meet with Doolittle in his office. [Sacramento Bee, 2/12/06]

November 2002 — Fred Black is demoted and told not to conduct any further investigations. [National Public Radio, 3/14/07]

November 2002 — Fred Black, U.S. attorney for Guam and the Northern Mariana islands, subpoenas Jack Abramoff. [National Public Radio, 3/14/07]

August 2002 — Doolittle’s wife Julie Doolittle begins doing fundraising work for Abramoff. [New York Times, 11/20/05; Sacramento Bee, 11/30/05]

February 27, 2002 — Doolittle signs a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton regarding implementation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. One of Abramoff’s clients, the Coushatta Tribe, opposed a plan by the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians to open a casino at a non-reservation site, expected at the time to be outside Shreveport, La., not far from a casino owned by the Coushattas. The letter signed by Doolittle tells Norton she should reject the Jena casino. [Vitter Letter to Secretary Norton, 2/27/02; Washington Post, 3/13/05; 9/28/04; AP, 11/17/05]

December 31, 2001 — Abramoff’s contract with the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands is terminated. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06; FEC Reports]

December 28, 2001 — Abramoff gives his last $1,000 contribution to Doolittle for Congress. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06; FEC Reports; Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/18/07]

July 2001 — Doolittle’s Chief of Staff, David Lopez, takes a week long “fact-finding” trip to Puerto Rico. The trip costs $1,352 and is paid for by Abramoff’s firm, Greenberg Traurig. House rules prohibit lawmakers and staff from taking trips paid for by registered lobbyists or lobbying firms. [Scripps Howard News Service, 2/9/06]

May 25, 2001 — A letter written by Doolittle is published in the Saipan Tribune. In it, Doolittle reflects on Tom DeLay’s $150,000 earmark for Northern Marianas ports in 2000 and says he will pick up the torch and work towards seeking funding for the studies. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06; Saipan Tribune, 5/22/01, 5/25/05]

May 23, 2001 –Abramoff contributes his third $1,000 to Doolittle’s campaign, the same amount that Doolittle had contributed to Fitial six days before. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06; FEC Report; Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/18/07]

May 22, 2001 — Fitial hails federal ‘help’ coming for Marianas Islands port projects detailed in a letter he received from Doolittle. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06; Saipan Tribune, 5/22/01, 5/25/05]

May 17, 2001 — Doolittle for Congress contributes $1,000 to Fitial’s campaign. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06; FEC Report]

March 22, 2001 — Doolittle’s “Dear Colleague” letter concludes from an Occupational Health and Safety Administration report that there has been significant improvements in the garment industry in the Northern Marinas. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06]

March 12, 2001 — Kevin Ring, Abramoff’s client manager for the firm’s lobbying account with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Doolittle’s former aide and legislative director, works with Doolittle’s office “regarding letter on OSHA report.” [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06]

July 17, 2000 — Despite being a vocal opponent of gambling, Doolittle votes to kill a ban on Internet Gaming. The legislation is opposed by both the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and eLottery, both Abramoff Clients. [Washington Post, 3/16/05; HR 3125, #404, 7/17/00]

May 29, 2000 — Doolittle receives a $1,000 contribution from Abramoff. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/18/07]

On or About October 24, 1999 — Doolittle writes a letter to Benigne Fitial, a key Abramoff supporter and former legislator, endorsing his election to the Northern Marianas Islands legislature. [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06]

Oct. 3, 1999 — Doolittle receives a $1,000 contribution from Abramoff. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/18/07]

1999 — Doolittle takes a trip to the Northern Marinas Islands, a major Abramoff client, where the garment industry has been widely criticized as a collection of sweatshops. Doolittle says that he saw none of the abuses or “reported inhumane working conditions.” [Sacramento Bee, 8/5/06]

February 25, 1999 — Doolittle uses a luxury box belonging to Abramoff at Washington’s MCI Center for a fundraiser. He neither paid to rent the box nor reported its value as an in-kind contribution. [Washington Post, 12/26/04]

September 16, 1998 — Doolittle gives a floor speech praising a client of Abramoff, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. [Sacramento Bee, 2/19/06; Congressional Record, 2/16/98]

It is great to see the DCCC so aggressive, so early, in CA-04