Tom Feeney's past ties with Yang.

[Smirking_Chimp]

TALLAHASSEE -- Despite repeated claims that he never used his influence to
benefit his client, House Speaker Tom Feeney arranged at least one meeting
between state officials and an Oviedo computer firm that was having trouble
with its state contract.-
E-mails obtained by The Daytona Beach News-Journal through the state's
public records law contradict statements made by the Oviedo Republican to
the state Ethics Commission, which cleared him of ethical missteps
surrounding his ties to his client, Yang Enterprises.-
Yang's dealings with the state have been at the heart of an ongoing dispute
over questionable invoices in its $8 million technology contract with the
Florida Department of Transportation...10/13/02

State helped Feeney's client
The speaker asked to see a glowing letter written on behalf of his client. -- When a Florida Department of Transportation employee bad-mouthed an Oviedo computer firm to a potential client, House Speaker Tom Feeney got involved.--
After Yang Enterprises learned that the bad review could threaten their hopes of getting a state contract in Maine, the company had demanded the DOT write a letter to counteract the negative comments. But before the letter was mailed, Feeney, whose position made him the second-most-powerful person in Florida government for the past two years, asked to see a copy.--
His action has since raised ethical questions because the company was a client of Feeney's law firm and had paid the speaker to lobby local governments on its behalf. It is a violation of state law for an elected official to use his public position for personal gain, although it's unclear whether requesting to review the letter could be considered illegal. 10/9/02

http://www.whoseflorida.com/central_florida.htm#Speaker%20Feeney%20not%20welcome%20at%20home

interesting...

[Scout1071]

1. very, very interesting

[NJ_Lib]

2. Nice find smirking_Chimp...

... and the plot thickens...


Interesting, to say the least... I thought Feeney clearly stated he never used his power to his client's benefit...?

It's the same old thing with the Repukes... When confronted he'll say: "Did I say NEVER?", "I believe I said HARDLY ever... Yeah... That's what I said"....


Thanks for the link... And for putting in the time and effort to look for something, anything, that may help expose the truth about what kind of people we're dealing with here.... :hug:

[Smirking_Chimp]

3. thanks n/t

[americanwoman]

4. You can get the full "Emails at odds with Feeney Denials" article

by using the invaluable WayBack Machine. Here's the direct URL to the archived article:
http://web.archive.org/web/20021219105643/http://www.news-journalonline.com/2002/Oct/12/ELEC3.htm

Choice bits:

Feeney, who doubles as Yang's general counsel and lobbyist in Orange County, told ethics investigators that he had not spoken to "anyone at FDOT or the State Technology Office concerning the Yangs."

But the e-mails show Feeney, then incoming House speaker, arranged a meeting in Oviedo in July 2000 between his client and Roy Cales, head of the State Technology Office and the official with the most say over state computer contracts.

<...>

Sylvester Lukis, a spokesman for Yang, at first denied in an interview Friday that Feeney arranged any meetings for Yang owners Tyng-Lin Yang and Li-Woan Yang with state officials. But later, when told about the e-mails, he confirmed Feeney had set them up.

"Apparently Mr. Feeney did arrange some meetings with Mr. Cales, but it had nothing to do with the (DOT) contract," he said. "I'm not going to comment on Mr. Feeney and whether he did anything wrong."


<...>
Feeney denied helping Yang, even after the firm was accused of submitting fraudulent invoices in its contract with DOT to provide software.

DOT is still investigating those claims, which were made by two state workers who have since been fired.

Feeney continued to be copied on correspondence in the dispute long after he said he advised the Yangs to hire a Tallahassee lobbying firm to handle the matter, records show.

[Vote4Kerry]

5. Thanks for post! n/t