Breaking, St. Pete Times: FBI asks Tom Feeney about trip with Abramoff

[seafan]

FBI asks Tom Feeney about trip with Abramoff

By ANITA KUMAR
Published 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 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.

.....

"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.

.....

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 finance reports.

.....

[AlCzervik]

1. well hot damn the FBI has released the hounds! 2 raids last week, now Feeney and

someone's staffer quit today because of Abramoff related reasons.

[rurallib]

4. Can Abu Gonzales call off said hounds?

[AlCzervik]

6. technically maybe, i'm sure someone here will know. Politically it would be a

suicide run imo. This Abramoff thing has so many tentacles that i don't think it can be stopped.

[rurallib]

8. hey have done so many things that would be considered suicides

Yet they survive.

[babylonsister]

2. The plot is thickening rapidly! nt

[AlCzervik]

3. it is like the gift that keeps on giving! it's like getting a present everyday.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

5. Oh God, please let them get Feeney; creep extraordinaire!

He was in on the election shenanigans here plus he hired a 20 year waitress at Hooter's and paid her $50,000.I heard she was really good at what she did.

[seafan]

7. Sorry, Tom. When you lie down with the devil......

Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff sent the following e-mail at 3:50 a.m. EST today before entering federal prison in Maryland.

November 15, 2006

Subject: My last email for a while

My dear friends,

I hope that you will forgive the impersonal nature of this email. I write this to you on the eve of my incarceration. I am not sure how long I will be in prison, but hope that it is not too long before we have a chance to see each other again.

First, I wanted to thank you for standing by Pam, the kids and me during this very difficult period. Unfortunately, things are going to get worse (starting today no doubt) before they get better, but I am confident that ultimately the turmoil will subside and we will have our lives back. One day, G-D willing, we will know why all of this had to happen. In the meantime, we soldier on, bolstered in no small measure by your friendship.

(cont'd)

(bold type added)