Rep.Feeney again

["Margit Johansson" <margitjo@xxxxxxxxx>]

Remember? Feeney was the one who Clint Curtis says asked him to write
a computer program to steal elections, when Feeney was a FL state
congressman.
Margit

Margit Johansson, CFVI
303-442-1668/ margitjo@xxxxxxxxx


FBI asks Tom Feeney about trip with Abramoff
Early edition: Feeney's office said the congressman is cooperating voluntarily.

By ANITA KUMAR
St. Pete Times

Monday, April 23, 2007

WASHINGTON - The FBI has asked U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney for information
about his dealings with Jack Abramoff as part of its ongoing
investigation into the lobbyist convicted of defrauding clients.

FBI agent Kevin Luebke refused to say whether Feeney, a Republican
from the Orlando area, is under federal investigation.

Federal agents also have asked the St. Petersburg Times for an email
sent to the newspaper by Feeney's office describing a golfing trip the
congressman took with Abramoff to Scotland in 2003.

Feeney did not return calls for comment Monday. But his Washington
office released a statement to the Times late Monday.

"Rep. Feeney considers this an embarrassing episode in his 17-year
career as an elected official and an expensive lesson for him as a
public servant," according to the statement.

Feeney is one of three House members who accompanied Abramoff to
Scotland on trips that included rounds of golf at the legendary Royal
& Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews.

The others are: former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, who is serving prison
time for corruption, and former House Republican leader Tom DeLay,
indicted in Texas for alleged improper fundraising, is under
investigation.

"The Justice Department has been investigating activity surrounding
Jack Abramoff," according to Feeney's statement. "The Justice
Department has contacted Rep. Feeney to request more information
regarding this matter and he is pleased to voluntarily cooperate."

The FBI contacted the Times last week to ask for the February 2006
email that Feeney's then chief of staff Jason Roe wrote to the
newspaper in response to a series of questions about interactions
between Feeney and Abramoff. The Times has referred the FBI's request
to its attorney.

Roe, now deputy campaign manager for presidential candidate Mitt
Romney, said Monday he has not been contacted by the FBI and has no
knowledge of an investigation. But, he said, he was not surprised to
hear federal agents are asking questions.

"I'm sure they're doing due diligence," he said. "I guess it would be
my expectation they would look into everything" associated with
Abramoff.

Feeney, 48, who spent a decade in the Florida Legislature where he was
speaker of the House, has paid $23,000 in legal fees this year - more
than any other expense - according to his latest campaign finance
reports.

"Rep. Feeney anticipates voluntarily cooperating with the Justice
Department in any further investigation of this trip and looks forward
to promptly resolving this matter," according to Feeney's statement.

The U.S. House announced in January that Feeney violated its rules by
apparently letting Abramoff pay for the trip to Scotland. Feeney
agreed to pay the cost of the trip - $5,643 - to the U.S. Treasury.

Feeney said he thought a conservative think tank - the National Center
for Public Policy Research - was paying for the trip. He said he
learned later from newspaper reporters that Abramoff may have paid in
violation of House rules that forbid members from taking free trips
from lobbyists and asked the ethics committee to investigate.

"Any assertion that this office knew Abramoff paid for the Scotland
trip is a g--d----- lie," Roe wrote in the email being sought by the
FBI. The email was quoted in a newspaper article last year.

Records and media reports show lawmakers - including Ney and DeLay -
have helped Abramoff with his lobbying.

Last week, Rep. John Doolittle, R--Calif., gave up his coveted seat on
the House Appropriations Committee after the FBI raided his home.

In last year's email, Roe vehemently denied any improper relationship
with Abramoff as a result of the trip.

"Tom has never written a letter for Abramoff. Abramoff has never been
in our office. Abramoff has never asked anything of us," Roe wrote in
the email. "There is no accusation of a quid pro quo. No quid pro quo
exists."

Feeney received $4,000 from Abramoff and three of his clients but
recently gave the $1,000 from Abramoff to charity. Money also went the
other direction: Feeney paid the tab at Abramoff's Washington
restaurant, Signatures, at least three times, twice when the costs
were more than $2,000, according to Feeney's campaign