The federal prosecution of David Safavian, a former OMB White House official is set to begin next week. Mr. Safavian lost a hearing to prohibit evidence regarding emails between him and Jack Abramoff. Mr. Safavian lost those motion. See TalkLeft, 5/18/06.
Hundreds of emails between Jack Abramoff and David Safavian were released by federal prosecutors on April 14, 2006. See Zfacts.com.
Safavian is a long-time D.C. player who worked with Grover Norquist, the infamous Anti-Tax crusader. He also worked with Abramoff at Preston/Gates. Washington Post, 9/20/05, R. Jeffrey Smith and Susan Schmidt. He also worked as Chief of Staff for Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Ut). TheRawStory.com, 9/19/05.
When arrested in September 2005, Mr. Safavian was responsible for a $300 billion budget as director of the Office of Procurement Policy at the OMB. He was busy overseeing administration of the Katrina Relief efforts.
The NYT, Philip Shenon reported on 5/11/06 that among the White House logs records showed Abramoff visted the White House in 2004 to meet with an OMB official to discuss buying the Old Post Office building in D.C. The building came under the purview of David Safavain who left the GSA in 2004 to work at the White House OMB. The GSA controlled the disposal and leasinf of federal property. See Washington Post, Pete Yost, 5/11/06.
Mr. Safavian is accused of concealing his relationship with Abramoff while employed at the GSA. Abramoff contracted Safavian regarding two properties Abramoff wanted to purchase. Washington Post, Pete Yost, 5/16/06.
The indictment refers to a 2002 golf trip Safavian took to Scotland arranged by Abramoff. On the trip were Safavian, Abramoff, Bob Ney (R-OH), Ralph Reed and Neil Voltz, staff member to Ney. Safavian allegedly concealed that he had any current business dealings with Abramoff when he asked for permission from GSA officials to take the trip. Federal ethic rules prohibit a federal official from accepting monies, trips, etc. from a person/entity presently doing business with the government. Safavian denied any relationship between he and Abramoff despite the fact that he was assisting Abramoff in obtaining the two buildings. The released emails show Safavian emailing Abramoff with a proposed letter supporting the leasing/sale of the property with the assistance of "at least two members of Congress." Safavian was emailing Abramoff to see if that was enough clout or was more required. Washington Post, 9/20/05, R. Jeffery Smith and Susan Schmidt.
Neil Voltz, the former Ney aide and lobbyist, has pleaded guilty in the Abramoff investigation currently pending. Washington Post, Pete Yost, 5/16/06.
The other motion to exclude that Safavian lost on 5/18/06 was the motion to exclude emails regarding Safavian's communication with Abramoff to warn him that Abramoff client TYCO was about to be suspended from doing business with the government. TalkLeft.com, 5/18/06. Safavian learned about this while working at the GSA and disclosed this "sensitive and confidential information regarding internal GSA deliberations surrounding the TYCO suspension." TalkLeft.com 5/18/06. This allegedly took place in November 2003 and thereafter.
TYCO was an important Abramoff client. Abramoff received $1.8 million for lobbying efforts to protect TYCO off shore tax breaks in Bermuda. The money was allegedly paid to an Abramoff subsidiary called GrassRoots Initiative, not directly to Abramoff. GrassRoots was founded in 2003 by Edward Miller, a chief of staff to Robert Ehrlich (R-MD). TPM reports that when Miller left GrassRoots, he sold the lobbying firm to Samuel Hook, Abramoff's partner at Greenberg Traurig. Hook's lawyers later told the NYT that "Mr. Abramoff solely controlled G.R.I. See TPM
GrassRoots sought to arrange a meeting between the President of West Africa's Gabon, President Bongo for a reported $9 million dollars in August 2003. The contract was never signed. TPM report. Bongo did eventually meet with President Bush in May 2004.
Abramoff emails show that monies from GrassRoots, 2.3 million dollars was sent to Aeneas Enterprises in 2003. Aeneas Enterprises, a Los Angeles consulting company was founded by Robert Abramoff, Jack's brother. NYT, Philip Shenon, April 8, 2006.
The insestuous payments go on and on.