Campaign finance reports show Congressman John Doolittle paid an attorney 38-thousand dollars to talk to federal prosecutors in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
A spokeswoman says the California Republican has done "nothing wrong" and hired the attorney to help clear his name. She says prosecutors have not contacted the congressman and he "has no reason to believe" that he's a target of their investigation.
Doolittle has described Abramoff as a good friend. He has numerous ties to the disgraced and convicted lobbyist. Doolittle has accepted campaign donations and helped Abramoff's tribal clients in dealing with the Interior Department, among other ties. Abramoff also paid Doolittle's wife a retainer for event planning from 2002 to 2004.
Doolittle is favored to win re-election next month in his heavily Republican northern California district.
