Mar 10, 2009 — TEXT ONLY: Federal investigators have subpoenaed information from Lake Placid's Olympic Regional Development Authority as part of an investigation targeting former Congressman John Sweeney. The Albany Times-Union is reporting that the FBI is probing Sweeney's taxpayer-funded trips to Lake Placid. The junkets were criticized by Democrats in 2006, who described the travel as a sweetheart deal for the Republican lawmaker and his supporters. The trips were paid for in part by the Olympic Regional Development Authority and the New York Power Authority.

According to the Times-Union, the FBI's probe was triggered by hearings held by Democrats in the state Assembly in 2006. At the time, Sweeney said questions about the so-called "Winter Congressional Challenge" were politically motivated. The newspaper said that Sweeney couldn't be reached for comment.