Our view: Feeney and Abramoff

FBI must get to the bottom of Rep. Tom Feeney's ties to influence-peddling felon

Florida Today Editorial
April 25, 2007

Congressman Tom Feeney has repeatedly insisted he didn't really know super-lobbyist and now convicted felon Jack Abramoff, and never did him any favors.

But those assertions haven't satisfied the FBI, which is examining Feeney's connection with the influence-peddler who's in prison for defrauding clients.

Specifically, agents want to review records from FLORIDA TODAY, the Orlando Sentinel and the St. Petersburg Times that contain statements Feeney or members of his staff made about his relationship with Abramoff.

The Oviedo Republican, who represents part of Brevard County in the U.S. House, got into trouble when he took a 2003 golfing trip to Scotland with Abramoff.

Feeney says he thought the junket was paid for by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank. But it was actually paid for by Abramoff.

In January, the House said Feeney violated its rules by letting Abramoff cover the trip, and Feeney agreed to pay the trip's $5,643 cost to the U.S. Treasury.

None of this made Feeney look good, which his office acknowledged Tuesday in a statement saying he "considers this an embarrassing episode in his 17-year career as an elected official and an expensive lesson for him as a public servant."

However, the FBI's moves increase speculation about the legality of his actions and whether everything has come to light.

That's why it's imperative the FBI dig deep and get to the bottom of the Feeney-Abramoff connection.

The Abramoff scandal has already snared others, including two former Republican members of Congress who also played golf with Abramoff in Scotland:

Former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, now in prison for corruption, and former House leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has been indicted in Texas for illegal fundraising and remains under investigation for his Abramoff ties.

The scandal also has led to corruption convictions of former White House official David Safavian, two former Interior Department officials and five congressional staff members.

Beyond the golf trip, Feeney received $4,000 from Abramoff and three of his clients, but later gave the $1,000 donation from Abramoff to charity.

Feeney also picked up the tab at least three times at Abramoff's Washington restaurant, Signatures, when the costs were more than $2,000, according to Feeney campaign documents reported by the St. Petersburg Times.

FLORIDA TODAY records requested by the FBI center on a videotaped interview between Feeney and the newspaper's editorial board on Sept. 20, 2006, where he strongly denied helping Abramoff.

"My office has never done anything for Jack Abramoff. He's never been in my office, he's never asked us for anything. We didn't have any relationship with him other than the fact that he gave us a contribution, and we've given that to charity," Feeney said.

Tuesday's statement from Feeney's office says he's "voluntarily cooperating with the Justice Department in any further investigation of this trip and looks forward to promptly resolving this matter."

For that to happen, the FBI must leave no stone unturned to clear Feeney or determine if wrongdoing occurred.