As mentioned on Wednesday, and following in the footsteps of The Seminole Chronicle before them, Tom Feeney’s other hometown weekly newspaper has jumped into reporting on the emerging “FeeneyGate” scandal. The previously promised article in their Dec. 30th edition hit the stands yesterday.
While The Oviedo Voice — the older of the two local newsweeklies — has a website, we are told they are currently transitioning it and thus it is not being regularly updated. Given the national attention this story is now receiving, however, the editors of the paper have told The BRAD BLOG that they will make an attempt to get their full Feeney article online this coming Monday. We’ll update this item to provide a link to it at that time.
For now, we’ve received a faxed copy of the story, and it represents mostly the “balanced coverage” the paper had promised in their previous week’s teaser item.
While chosing to focus, for now, only on the initial Feeney-related allegations in her article (as opposed to the wider-reaching Yang Enterprises, Inc. and Florida Dept. of Transportation related charges), reporter Darla Kinney Scoles writes that her report would “only address those statements made regarding Mr. Feeney.”
The result is a mostly even-handed story, though it fails to advance the story-to-date too terribly much.
We are told by the editors, however, that they “intend to continue reporting on this story over the next three to four weeks at least”. Encouraging news. And we hope, in the process, that they will be able to investigate more of the specifics in those future pieces now that they’ve gotten the main meat and potatos of the story out of the way for their readers.
Aside from (note to our former best-friends at crosstown-rival Seminole Chronicle) the appreciated hat tip to The BRAD BLOG for the “over 50 pages” said to have been reviewed by Kinney Scoles in preparing her piece, the most notable point taken from the article is the fact that Feeney himself, who had contacted the paper to offer an interview on the matter, kept his promise, but would not allow the interview to be “on record”!
As reported by Kinney Scoles…
What we were not able to do was to interview Feeney ?on record’ as we had hoped.
Once again, Feeney continues his now-growing track record of, if not having anything to hide, sure as hell acting like someone who does!
Why did he chose to duck attempts to get comment weeks ago from Oviedo’s Seminole Chronicle? Why did he decide to approach The Voice only after The Chronicle published their report on the matter? Why all the “off record” interviews and comments to reporters? Why the apparently coordinated threats of lawsuits against a small local newsweekly for merely reporting on public news of note to their local readers?
And perhaps most notably: Why no such legal threats by Feeney against the actual person, Clint Curtis, making the allegations which Feeney’s attorneys have described as “outrageous” and “obviously false and defamatory”?
As all responsible news organizations say: We report, you decide.
A few other items of note from the Voice piece…
We appreciate that Kinney Scoles points out the very plausible reason for the lack — so far — of corroborating sources who have been willing to come forward (publicly, via affidavit or at least “on the record” anyway) to confirm some of the details of Curtis’ claim that Feeney conspired to create “vote-rigging” software.
On that point, she astutely notes:
It would be nice if other members of the media would recognize that seemingly-obvious point before reporting on a surely-relevant aspect of the story, but doing so without bothering to look particularly closely at the matter.
A point which would be made particularly clear if such reporters actually took the time to examine some of the horrifying things that Curtis claims has happened to him over the years as a result of initially blowing the whistle with these allegations.
For Feeney’s part, Kinney Scoles quotes Feeney staffer Shannon Conklin as saying “These claims are too ridiculous to answer. It is irresponsible for anyone to publish allegations without close investigation of all claims.”
Such broadly dismissive boilerplate comments from both Feeney and his surrogates have, by now, become all too commonplace and accepted by many of the journalists who have been looking into these matters. Particularly in light of the very “close examination of all claims” that has occurred and continues to occur over these last nearly-four weeks by us and many others. Add to that the “close examination” of many of the related claims made previously in the matter against Feeney in a long series of articles by both The Daytona Beach News-Journal and The Orlando Sentinel back during 2001 and 2002 when the bulk of these charges were first brought to light.
Lastly, the article finishes on a by-now fairly obvious, though no-doubt disconcerting note for Feeney who might have hoped to put out the fire set ablaze in the past few weeks by giving an “off record” interview to a hopefully-friendly hometown paper:
And with that we are pleased to add The Oviedo Voice to the growing list of news organizations who seem willing to place the public interest ahead of both fear and political cronyism.
At least for now.
AS IT IS SAID…DEVELOPING…
Great "development," Brad…but everything progresses at the pace of "molasses in January" without the MSM to hasten its progress.
Keep hammering, chipping, grinding away at it! We need you.
Feeney, as an attorney, knows, or at least now should know, to shut up! I’m not surprised he is not commenting and wants to discuss this matter "off the record", which only makes him appear more sinister and evasive. Two qualities that don’t bode well for confidence in his denials, and a position which will be unsustainable as a public official.
I’m sure he has been working behind the scenes with his own legal counsel, political consultants, and probably Jeb Bush/White House strategy teams. Afterall, they and their own Bush Brother elections are the real target of this investigation. Feeney is just a cog in the wheel and if he is broken, the entire machine may come to a screeching halt.
I’m sure just as you Brad and others are looking for answers, Feeney, Jeb, and George will be looking for loyalty and silence! Just the kind of silence Feeney is providing. As the reporter noted in her piece, we have no idea what pressure or other measures may be taken or are being taken to suppress the story, considering the power and authority of those involved.
The White House has already shown how it handles those who are less than loyal, at least the ones we’ve publicly been made aware of and who are not found in a Georgia hotel room.
But this is great! Because it is around this type of crisis energy and desperation that little birds are flushed out and leave their doo doo!
The Democratic Underground has linked to a site in New Zealand which posts our early exit poll data in PDF format.
Take a look:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/
This could be huge.
Thanks, Peg C. Here’s an htm link for anyone who has trouble with PDF:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/st...411/S00227.htm
Apologies. In my haste, posted incorrect address. Will repost with correct one.
This scoop publication in NZ is pretty good and had actively published a lot of Election Fraud articles. Maybe Rove could not intimidate them!
All the Election Fraud 2004 links are archieved on my blog site for everybody’s ready reference. Lately I slowed down as I am self employed and I have to put the bread on the top of my table for my family.
Meantime Brad good work. Don’t take your eyes off the ball. Keep going!!
To mainstream America; this ranks right up there with Area 51 and space aliens.
Well…that’s what my Republican acquaintances told me about Watergate and Congressman Kelly. Of course, no one is more alien to the mainstream Planet Earth than George DUMBYA!
I’m with Brad, strongly suspecting that Feeney did what Curtis says, but even so I wish to stick up for Olbermann here. Having an explanation for an absence of corroborating evidence does not create corroborating evidence. If Keith Olbermann decides he needs corroborating evidence, and there is none, then he has no obligation to explore explanations for the absence of evidence. It makes no difference to what Olbermann has to report.
Personally I think that Keith Olbermann shouldn’t be reporting either Curtis’s or Feeney’s side of this matter, until investigative reporting eliminates the impasse. I’m assuming that Countdown is primarily what it says, a countdown of water-cooler stories, and not an investigative reporting unit. IMO Bloggermann should meet the same standards as the TV show.
At the same time I’d like to thank Brad for his work and urge him to continue.
this story is obviously loosing steam. looks like you guys are looking for a last ditch attempt to "overturn" the election.
I don’t think the exit polls are anything more than confirmation of what was known, Peg.
The reason people want the raw data is because they will give extremely accurate predictions of the precincts from which the data were drawn. While there are few precincts, serious deviation from vote as counted from vote as cast would raise serious doubts about the integrity of the vote.
For those who don’t think that the integrity of the vote is important, like Esau you are despising your birthright and casting away liberty hard won. Even if you win temporary control, your kingdom’s day’s are numbered, because you have built on the sand of political power rather than the stone of truth.
LOL @ crownedroyalty
If the story is "losing steam" then why are you here?
And if you’re so smart then why can’t you spell "losing"?
Brad,
I realize I have no right to ask you to do this. It’s your time and I’m not paying you anything. I would do it myself if I had the time.
But….I think the truth speaks loudest from the grave. You might already be doing this, but if not, I think the dead Inspector General who was onto Feeney et al. prior to his mysterious "suicide" in Valdosta, GA (p.s. does anything good EVER happen in Valdosta, GA), will tell you everything you need to know if you can just get close enough to him. Interview his family and friends. Ask them what they think of his sudden death. Interview his co-workers. Get copies of his emails. Anything and everything you can find about what he was up to in the weeks prior to his "suicide." If he was murdered by one of Feeney’s hit man, he’s likely shouting it from the grave. We just need to listen.
If I were you, I wouldn’t waste my time on anything else until I got to the bottom of this guy’s death.
John Lennon was no hero. He made millions pretending he was a rebel and getting kids to think he thought the way he sang; he loved the rich life that money enabled for him and he was no philanthropist, actually a very CHEAP man.
Please provide some concrete evidence of the "crimes" those you call snakes are getting away with and no, I do not mean so called "affidavits" produced by people that have been on prosac their whole life. I mean concrete evidence. Surely with 44 partisan Democrat Senators waiting in the wings and George Soros waiving a million around in reward money; you can come up with SOMETHING, ANYTHING!
Your side needs another conspiracy. I hear over at the DU web site they are big into blaming America and big oil for the Tsunami. I suggest you start having forums with soon to be ex-Congressman over that.
Lewis wants Brad to go and invite himself into a grieving family in Georgia now.
Lewis, let the dead rest and have some compassion for the living. That is what the FBI and police are for and last I looked, Brad has no police badge on his chest.
Oh, I forgot, the FBI probably did the crime with the help of the police as part of the plot, right?
Area 51 calling Lewis!
Once again, atty jim freaks when we start talking about trying to get ot the dead man. Once again, I am left with the impression that atty jim has something to hide himself with respect to this dead man.
My own experience in working with the families of victims is that if their loved was actually killed by someone, they want the truth to come out. It is a BIG part of the healing process for them.
So don’t be shy, Brad. Just give them a call. You might be surprised how eager they are to talk to you.
It’s all about NEE. The more I read, the more I see the vote rigging issue as a smokescreen.
The potential fall out on NEE giving missile guidance technology through YANG is the ATOM BOMB of this story.
But notice how that story which should have legs due to the gulty plea of the treasonous NEE just goes out to sea, while the vote rigging story gets the attention.
I mean, I hate to play the spoiler, but in the intertest of argument, playing devil’s advocate. Could Clint Curtis be an unwitting dupe? It’s like a magician telling us to look left while something is going on to the right.
Why isn’t the NEE story the lead angle on this? When the story first broke, NEE was very important, now it’s all about finding the Curtis code. GEE WIZ, who needs the code when you’ve got treason and a guilty plea.
SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF sniffing dogs. The real story is so much bigger than the small one they’ve got you staring at. YANG is implicaqted in treason. If Feeney was involved in the treason, it could go way up the ladder.
Vote rigging is never going to bring down this administration, but NEE possibly could.
If YANG helped NEE commit treason and Feeny was involved, FEENEY had to have been getting his orders from above. Why?
What is going on Brad? Stay on the NEE thing.
I am "Mainstream America", Jimmo, and I don’t see why you bother to post. Your petty little comments are lost here.
Keep your head buried in the sand. Doesn’t affect truth-seekers, anyway. People like you are at the heart of the problem. Without your sort, these snakes wouldn’t be able to get away with these crimes. You’re the "Nowhere Man" John Lennon sang of.
crownedroyalty:
YOU WISH the story is "loosing" steam. NOT!
I couldn’t agree more with NEE JERK. The story of espionage, illegal shipments of sensitive NASA components to China, technology used in Hellfire missiles (I am sure I am misstating some of these details, as I haven’t gone back to review), and the shocking mere slap on the wrist given to Nee all should be setting off the loudest alarms and whistles. That a federal prosecutor and judge gave a mere $100 fine and probation for such offences, and nothing was done about the supporting cast of characters who accommodated Nee, is a huge story. It seems there is much to hide. That our government is letting this slip and refusing to acually prosecute, strongly suggests that they were secretly behind the trade to China. Whatever is going on is linked to NASA, and that must be a bombshell. (By the way, why did Sean O’Keefe recently announce his surprise intention to retire as head of NASA? Is it related?) What was so important that Lemme had to die? I don’t think it could just be government bungling that let Nee and YEI off the hook. Or maybe it could be that YEI and Nee were owed a favor for their help in designing election-hacking software? Only something big could explain this incomprehensible lapse in prosecution — especially in this anti-foreigner, post-9/11, reactionary, punitive America. And then there is the timing of the "deal" (plea agreement and sentencing) — just before the election. They must have really wanted this story to just quietly go away. So far, they have succeeded. Please keep this part of the stoy out there. It is too easy to merely focus on the Feeney-gate, election-hacking part of the story. Although I admit that nothing is more important than the integrity of our election process! Without it we are lost.
NEE is fascinating! I always wonder how Chinese nationals end up working with NASA, the ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, and MILITARY DEFENSE CONTRACTORS and things go missing. Nothing against Chinese people individually here! But their communist government in such close relations with our right-wing fascist government, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, and yes, even Rupert Murdoch. HMMM?
Let’s not forget that China is now one of our biggest creditors! Helping America fund it’s wars! And what about the Clinton/Bush family ties to Chinese campaign contributors? China has a big stake in who runs our government, so vote rigging development may be a priority…even to transition China to one of those sham democracies Bush is so glowing about!
And if vote rigging technology is developed and imported from China, try investigating the Chinese government with a subpoena or a search warrant! Ha!
A-Jim,
I don’t think George DUMBYA’s Federal Bureau of Intimidation is going to go around looking for things to hang their boss. And as far as crimes go, we’ll gladly start the War Crimes Tribunal whenever you and your client are ready! George DUMBYA keeps adding to his own indictment, but don’t expect his own Justice Department or FBI to do their job!
AJ said:
I do not mean so called "affidavits" produced by people that have been on prosac their whole life.
You referring to anybody in specific there? Or just spreading around irresponsible disinformation?
Please let me know, because I don’t take kindly to reprehensible slurs. I look forward to the specifics of the suggestion you’re making, Apologist Jim.
NEE JERK –
In fact, Curtis had over the years, drawn the attention of many more folks to the Nee/Yang Espionage related issues.
There are many folks (not just me) currently looking exactly in that.
This is clearly a story very broad in scope, and as you suggest, the vote-rigging element is just one part of it.
As is the Lemme piece of the puzzle (as Lewis suggested).
Though I have a convenient way to get small pieces of the puzzle out to the public in a timely fashion, there is indeed a larger picture here, and I assure you I’m not the only one looking into several of the pieces described in this thread.
I am, however, for the moment, one of just a few who are able (and willing) to report on the small bricks that comprise the large wall.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Watergate took about 3 years until it bore tangible fruit.
The work continues. Be careful not to jump to any conclusions about the full *scope* of ongoing investigations based solely on one guy’s continuing reports, in one place, on small pieces of the puzzle that he feels able, comfortable and confident to report about publicly.
And in the meantime, don’t expect it all to get done *for* you. Investigate what you can in your own way and/or keep spreading the word about items posted here and elsewhere on the case as the more folks who know about the smaller pieces, the more the bushes will be shaken to help the larger picture begin to emerge publicly.
Chemoelectric.org said:
I wish to stick up for Olbermann here. Having an explanation for an absence of corroborating evidence does not create corroborating evidence. If Keith Olbermann decides he needs corroborating evidence, and there is none, then he has no obligation to explore explanations for the absence of evidence. It makes no difference to what Olbermann has to report.
Unless he reports on a lack of corroborating info and then doesn’t explore either the reasons why, or in fact, contact the key player to find out if such corroborating info may actually exist, but hasn’t yet been broadcast publicly to the world and/or Internet at large. He made no such investigations before reporting what he did.
More troubling though, is when he was presented with information that *could* be corroborated ("Curtis sent threats to Yang, in writing, so threatening that a police report had to be filed") and yet he fails to bother to corroborate that info himself (ask to see the "written threat", contact the police to see if in fact a report actually was filed) then he has crossed the line from Journalism into Apologistic Hackery.
He chose to cross that line, and doesn’t appear interested in crossing back to do the right thing.
*That* is indefensible, and no amount of "sticking up for him" can balance that out.
Brad commented…
"…, the more the bushes will be shaken to help the larger picture begin to emerge publicly."
Should read:
"…, the more the Bush’s will be shaken to help the larger picture begin to emerge publicly."
Or were you referring to my birds who will be flushed out to leave their doo doo?
Remember, a bird in hand is worth two in the "BUSH"! Come out Jeb & George, we see you both hiding in the back of that voting machine!
Freebird…LOL…:-)