It looks like there's yet another Republican Congressman intent on adding his name to the list of those implicated in the Jack Abramoff scandal and the general GOP culture of corruption. The St. Petersburg Times' Anita Kumar has the story (h/t JMM).
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 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.
[...]
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.
As is the case with both Rick Renzi and John Doolittle, two of the other current Republican members of Congress who have reportedly come under heat from the FBI over their improprieties, there is a genuine chance that the allegations about Feeney could jeopardize and potential reelection bid.
Although Feeney has faced at best nominal challenges from the Democrats in recent cycles (his 2006 challenger spent less than $175,000 and he literally ran unopposed in 2004), on paper his district, Florida's 24th, should be competitive. According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, FL-24 votes only about 3 points more Republican than the nation as a whole in presidential elections, the same amount as the districts picked up last cycle by Jerry McNerney, Kirsten Gillibrand and Jason Altmire and the one almost picked up by Larry Kissell. What's more, a number of Democrats -- Harry Mitchell, Joe Donnelly, Ciro Rodriguez and Steve Kagen -- all picked up seats last fall in districts that vote a point even more Republican than Florida's 24th, and others like Nancy Boyda and Nick Lampson picked up seats in districts with even more noticeable GOP leans.
To put it another way, Feeney might be vulnerable to a challenge even in the absence of corruption allegations and a potential federal investigation. His district is marginally Republican, and although he was able to soundly defeat a well-funded Democratic challenger in 2002, 2008 isn't likely to be as good a year for Republicans as was 2002. So given that Feeney does appear to be in a difficult situation, his name among the ranks of DeLay and Ney, there is no reason that the Democrats should not make a concerted effort to take him out this cycle.
Any thoughts for challengers for this East Central Florida district, which encompasses parts of parts of Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties?
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