Representative #3 Starts Legal Defense Fund

There should be no doubt that Tom Feeney is in trouble.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney established a legal defense fund this week to defray costs relating to an ongoing federal inquiry into his ties with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Department of Justice lawyers and our lawyers have been speaking. We will cooperate," said the Oviedo Republican, who denied Friday that he is the target of a federal probe.

When asked why he established the fund, Feeney said he was being cautious and that it would be used to "demonstrate conclusively that I always have acted with honesty and integrity."

Tom Delay was making the same pronouncements when he set up his legal defense fund. It was so convincing that Delay decided not to run for another term. All this is interesting, considering how Feeney told the media he is not a target of an investigation.

Let's review Feeney's Abramoff history. Feeney was interviewed by the FBI about his Scotland golfing trip paid for by Abramoff. Feeney was forced to reinburse the U.S. Treasury $5,643 for violating House ethics rules.

The FBI did something highly unusual. They asked the St. Petersburg Times and Orlando Sentinel about emails they received from Feeney's office. Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell wrote, "But an agent did so just last week -- wanting whatever I could give him about Tom Feeney and Jack Abramoff. He wanted e-mail, maybe notes as well, from as far back as two years ago."

Feeney is known as Representative #3 in FBI documents.

Meet Representative #3

Tom Feeney is known as "Representative #3" in FBI documents. Feeney told the media he is "not a target" of a criminal investigation. Feeney does need to explain the company he keeps.

Feeney went to Scotland on a trip paid for by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Mark Zachares was also part of the trip. Zachares recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He accepted "tens of thousands" in gifts from Abramoff.

What is more curious is that the FBI has contacted the Orlando Sentinel and St Petersburg Times about information on Feeney.

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.

More.

Last week, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation contacted an Orlando Sentinel reporter, seeking information about ties that Feeney and a former member of his staff had with Abramoff.

The agent did not return calls seeking comment Monday.

Charlotte Hall, editor for the Orlando Sentinel, said in a statement Monday that the paper had not received a subpoena and did not have "a firm understanding of what the FBI is looking for."

"We have referred the matter to our attorney," she said.

If Feeney is not being investigated than why is the FBI taking such an interest in him? Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell wrote, "It's not every day the FBI comes asking for my notes and records. But an agent did so just last week -- wanting whatever I could give him about Tom Feeney and Jack Abramoff. He wanted e-mail, maybe notes as well, from as far back as two years ago."

Feeney may not be a target (yet), but now would be a good time to retain a high-powered lawyer.