WASHINGTON - Rep. John Doolittle acknowledged Monday that his lawyer, whom he has paid more than $38,000 in the last two months, is talking with the Justice Department about the congressman’s relationship with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The Washington Post and other papers, citing unnamed sources, have said the Roseville Republican and Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., are under investigation in the Abramoff matter.

Doolittle’s office in a statement late Monday, again insisted that the congressman is not under investigation.

Instead, it characterized the meetings as an effort to clear the congressman’s name.

“The congressman’s attorney has had several conversations with the Justice Department which we believe have been helpful toward clearing the congressman’s name,” said Laura Blackann.

“The congressman’s attorney has committed to the Justice Department that in order to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation, details of their interactions will remain private,” she said. “To date, the congressman has not been contacted or questioned by the Justice Department and has no reason to believe that he is the target of an investigation.”

Blackann said Doolittle “instructed his attorney to establish contact with the Justice Department to further express the congressman’s willingness to be helpful and satisfy the Justice Department that the congressman has done nothing wrong.”

The new disclosures have added fuel to the campaign of Democratic challenger Charlie Brown, who has tried to tie Doolittle to the “culture of corruption” in Washington, D.C., arising from the Abramoff scandal and the bribery conviction of Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, R-San Diego.

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