Former Feeney Staffer Writes Newspaper Defending Feeney; Doesn’t Mention Past Job

Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL), who was recently questioned by the FBI about his ties to corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff, published an op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday proclaiming his innocence. He claimed that “Any suggestion that I have taken legislative action for personal gain or to benefit a lobbyist is an outright lie.”

Today, the Sentinel ran a a gushing letter to the editor from a resident of Feeney’s district commending him for “setting the record straight”:

Congressman Tom Feeney has demonstrated his commitment to his constituents by setting the record straight and responding to recent reports in the Orlando Sentinel. I’d like to thank him for fighting back.

We live in a time when an investigation is immediately interpreted as guilt, and media implications are taken as gospel. An all-too-common result is that good, hardworking and dedicated leaders are persecuted in the court of public opinion, long before official investigations can clear them of any wrongdoing.

Lila Buchanan

Winter Springs

One minor note about Lila Buchanan: she apparently used to work for Feeney as his District Representative. That fact went unmentioned by both Ms. Buchanan and the Sentinel.

UPDATE: You can email the Sentinel’s public editor Manning Pynn at public@orlandosentinel.com. Let us know in the comments section if you hear back.