Feeney defense receives funding

Abramoff probe clings to rep

By Eun Kyung Kim, Florida Today

May 3, 2008

U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney continues to pay a Baltimore-based firm to help him with an ongoing federal inquiry into his ties with imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Feeney paid $11,735 to FTI Consulting between Jan. 1 and March 31 from his legal defense fund, according to records he filed this week.

The Oviedo Republican, whose district includes northern Brevard County, received $11,000 in donations to the fund during the same period.

"Congressmen Feeney believes it is important to clear up any questions, so he has voluntarily cooperated with the Justice Department providing retained documents," said his press secretary, Pepper Pennington.

She would not elaborate on when the documents were turned over, except to say: "There is no new news."

Feeney has raised $57,100 since opening his legal defense fund last summer.

However, he also has spent almost that much -- $56,692 -- with all payments going to FTI, a company that specializes in computer forensics, such as recovering e-mail.

The Justice Department opened its investigation into Feeney a year ago last month, an anniversary seized upon by the Florida Democrats.

The state party purchased newspaper ads and sent out numerous news releases during what they called, "Feeney and the FBI Anniversary Week."

The federal probe stems from a 2003 golf junket to Scotland paid for by Abramoff.

Feeney, who insisted he originally thought the trip was paid for by a conservative think tank, has paid the U.S. Treasury $5,643 for what he said was his share.

However, federal court documents in an Abramoff-related case revealed the trip actually cost about $160,000, or about $20,000 per person.

Democrats also continually raise Feeney's ties to the convicted felon, as they promote former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas in her race to unseat Feeney.

The New Smyrna Beach Democrat has given the three-term incumbent a run for his money, raising more than him during the past two financial quarters, according to campaign disclosure reports.