Representative John Doolittle of California, once a rising star in the Republican Party but more recently under investigation in a scandal involving the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, announced his retirement from Congress on Thursday, declaring that it was time for a new chapter in his life.
“I plan to complete my term and finish my Congressional service at the conclusion of this Congress,� Mr. Doolittle said at a news conference in Roseville, Calif. “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.’ �
Mr. Doolittle did not mention his legal troubles.
