TPMMuckraker David Safavian
David Safavian
Former DOJ Prosecutor: Ring Case Was "Extremely Problematic" From The Start
Kevin A. Ring
A former prosecutor with the Justice Department's Public Integrity unit has called the case against Kevin Ring "an extremely problematic prosecution," since the favors that Ring was accused of doing for public officials weren't in themselves illegal.
A mistrial was declared in the case yesterday, after jurors deadlocked on the charges against the former Team Abramoff lobbyist.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (7) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Justice Department, Kevin Ring, Lobbyists, Ted Stevens
David Safavian
Safavian Gets A Year In Prison For Role In Abramoff Scandal
David Safavian
David Safavian, the former Bush Administration official who was convicted for the second time in December for lying and obstruction of justice in the Jack Abramoff probe, was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison, the Washington Post reports.
Safavian, who was chief of staff at the General Services Administration, was also convicted of lying on a financial disclosure form about the costs of Abramoff's famous 2002 golf junket to Scotland, which Safavian attended.
The Post reports that Safavian, whose wife is pregnant, made a plea for leniency to the judge today:
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (7) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)Topics: Bush Administration, David Safavian, General Services Administration, Jack Abramoff, Kevin Ring, Lobbyists
David Safavian
Safavian Found Guilty Of Lying to Feds
More fallout from the Jack Abramoff investigation, nearly five years after the first hints of the scandal first broke.
The Associated Press reports:
David Safavian was found guilty of one count of obstruction and three counts of making false statements to investigators. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Safavian, the former top procurement official at the White House, was on trial for lying to investigators about his relationship with disgraced lobbyist jack Abramoff. His 2006 conviction on similar charges had been overturned.
AP adds:
Safavian and his lawyers decided this week not to put on a defense, ending their case without calling a single witness or without Safavian testifying.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (8) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (8)
Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Lobbyists
David Safavian
Safavian Jury Reaches Verdict
The jury in the corruption trial of Abramoff crony David Safavian has reached a verdict. We'll learn later today what it is, reports the Associated Press.
Safavian, who served as the White House's chief procurement officer, is on trial for allegedly lying to investigators about his relationship with Abramoff.
Safavian was convicted in 2006, but that conviction was overturned on appeal.
More when the verdict is available...
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Lobbyists
David Safavian
Potential Safavian Jurors Asked Whether They Play Golf
Jury selection began today in the retrial of David Safavian, the Jack Abramoff crony who served as the top procurement official in the Bush White House.
Safavian was convicted in 2006 of obstructing justice and lying to investigators about his work with Abramoff, as well as concealing information about a golf junket he took to St. Andrews, Scotland with Abramoff and convicted former GOP congressman Bob Ney, among others. But that conviction was thrown out on appeal. He was then re-indicted in October, on charges of obstructing justice, lying on a financial disclosure form and providing false statements to various investigators.
The Washington Post reports that, in addition to the standard questions, the judge in the trial today asked potential jurors whether they played any golf. It's unclear whether that would increase or decrease their chances of being picked.
Regular readers may remember that Safavian's alleged love of golf was a major focus of the original trial.
Topics: Bob Ney, David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Indictment: Heather Wilson's Office Tied to Abramoff
The Abramoff corruption probe has already snared one GOP Congressman, Bob Ney, and implicated a few more, most prominently Rep. John Doolittle of California. But could there be another to add to the list: Rep. Heather Wilson of New Mexico?
An examination by TPMmuckraker of the indictment of former Jack Abramoff associate Kevin Ring, filed yesterday, suggests that Wilson's office was tied in to Abramoff's corruption network at a level not previously known. And John McCain's 2005 investigation into Abramoff's fleecing of Indian tribes, which McCain conducted as chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, made no mention of that fact.
The Ring indictment contains the following statements from prosecutors:
On or about January 30, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B emailed a staffer for the New Mexico tribe's U.S. Representative, "Sorry I couldn't hangout last night. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to han[g]out with the [New Mexico tribe]. It meant a lot to [K]evin and I [sic]. BTW, you should be all set for the [Los Angeles] Clippers [basketball] game."
And:
On or about February 14, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B forwarded an email from the staffer for the New Mexico tribe's U.S. Representative to defendant RING in which the staffer had written, "How did Kevin' s meetings with the [New Mexico tribe] go? If you guys lose that contract I would be disappointed."
And:
On or about March 4, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B emailed defendant RING, "I'm going to kill [the New Mexico tribe] with [its U.S. Representative] if we don't get hired."
And:
On or about March 7, 2003, a lobbyist at Firm B emailed defendant RING, "[ The staffer for the New Mexico tribe' s U.S. Representative] is going to be in the meeting with [the New Mexico tribe] when they come to town. He's going to give the 'are you guys staying with [Firm B] this cycle? They did a great job on . . . legislation . . . and really cleared the path for you guys . . . . . yadda yadda.' He's gonna gather as much intel as possible for us."
It's clear from identifying details in the indictment -- which refers to a New Mexico Indian tribe that hired Abramoff's firm, Greenberg Traurig around March 2002 -- that the tribe is the Sandia Pueblo Indians, who are represented in Congress by Wilson. So in other words, a staffer for Wilson was actively involved in helping Ring and Greenberg Traurig (Firm B, where Ring worked at the time), retain their contract to represent the Sandia Indians. And Ring's Greenberg partner -- most likely Abramoff himself, but certainly a member of Abramoff's team at Greenberg -- believed he had the power to affect decisions made by Rep. Wilson concerning the tribe's interests.
A spokesman for Rep. Wilson declined to comment on the information in the indictment.
We already knew that Wilson had accepted political contributions from both Abramoff himself and David Safavian, a former Abramoff crony and Bush administration official convicted for obstruction of justice as part of the Abramoff probe. But the information in the indictment suggests that her office worked with Abramoff more closely that has yet been reported.
Wilson has been a stalwart supporter and prominent surrogate for John McCain, painting him as a crusader against Washington corruption. Just last night, she appeared on MSNBC's Hardball to make the case for him, and last week she told NPR: "John McCain has chosen a reformer ... to be his running mate and I think that's a perfect complement to who he is and what he's done in his life."
Wilson may have good reason to hold the GOP nominee in high regard. In his 2005 Senate investigation, McCain had access to the Greenberg Traurig email trove, presumably including the ones cited by prosecutors in the Ring indictment highlighted above. But his final report generally avoided focusing on members of Congress, and omitted any mention of Wilson.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (22) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (22)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Kevin Ring
David Safavian
Safavian Gets a New Court Date
In June, an appeals court granted Jack Abramoff crony David Safavian a new trial.
Safavian, the former chief of staff for the General Services Administration, was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison for lying to investigators about his relationship with Abramoff, but the sentence was put on hold while the appeal played out.
Today, he was given a new trial date, set for December.
From the Washington Post:
Former White House aide David H. Safavian, whose lying and obstruction convictions connected to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal were tossed out by a three-judge panel in June, will go back to court in December for a new trial, according to court documents.PERMALINK | COMMENTS (5) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)
Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Abramoff Crony Gets New Trial
From the AP:
A federal appeals court has ordered a new trial for a former Bush administration official convicted in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.David Safavian, former chief of staff for the General Services Administration, was convicted of lying to investigators about his relationship with Abramoff. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison but the sentence was put on hold while the appeal played out.
He did cry at his sentencing.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (6) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
Bob Ney
Ney Gets Longest Sentence in Abramoff History -- For Now
With a federal judge's order to serve 30 months in a minimum security prison, former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) has received the longest sentence to date in the Jack Abramoff scandal.
He doesn't face much competition -- yet. Only one other figure has been sent to do time, former White House official David Safavian. He was sentenced to 18 months for four counts relating to obstructing the Abramoff investigation. (He's currently living at home, pending appeals.) Roger Stillwell, a former Interior Department official, was recently sentenced to 24 months' probation for accepting illegal gifts from Abramoff.
Of course, Ney won't hold the record for long. When Abramoff and his key co-consipirators are sentenced, they will likely receive several years apiece. Their sentencings have been delayed because they have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.
When he's told them everything, prosecutors are expected to recommend a sentence of between 9 1/2 and 11 years for the disgraced GOP superlobbyist himself. Abramoff business partner and confidante Michael Scanlon faces five years in prison and millions in fines once he tells all; former lobbyist (and onetime Ney chief of staff) Neil Volz could also face five years, though he'll likely get far less. Tony Rudy, another former Abramoff associate, will likely face a sentence of two to two-and-a-half years, depending on his cooperation.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (22) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Bob Ney, David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
Brian Doyle
Our Great List of Scandalized Administration Officials
A number of readers have sent in tips to help the folks at Powerline, who recently admitted to having trouble remembering administration officials (beyond Scooter Libby) who had been accused of corruption or resigned in the face of scandal.
How could you foresake us! cry our old pals Claude Allen, David Safavian, Brian Doyle. Who could forget former FDA commissioner, Lester Crawford? After the jump, you'll find our partial (but fast-growing) list. If we're missing a name, please send it along!
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Brian Doyle, Claude Allen, David Safavian, Dusty Foggo, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Convicted WH Official Dodges Jail -- For Now
Former White House official David Safavian, sentenced to 18 months in prison for crimes related to his relationship with Jack Abramoff, isn't headed to the pokey quite yet. A federal judge has decided to let him remain free until his appeals have been heard, GovExec.com reports:
Appeals can take several years, so Safavian's sentence of 18 months -- if upheld -- will not begin until after that ruling.PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)In his opinion granting the request, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman cited the section of U.S. Code that says that if a person is not likely to flee, and the appeal raises a substantial question of law likely to result in a reversal, new trial or different sentence, then the judge can grant a request for release on bond.
Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Convicted WH Official: I Don't Want to Go to Jail
David Safavian, the former White House official convicted for lying to ethics officials and Senate investigators about his ties to Jack Abramoff, is up for sentencing today.
Newsflash! He doesn't want to go to jail. He actually wept while he asked the judge for leniency.
The problem, as the judge sees it, is that despite being convicted, Safavian has refused to admit any responsibility for his actions. He's not really guilty. He was duped! Just like Bob Ney.
At sentencing Friday, Safavian apologized for giving the appearance of impropriety but said it was not fraudulent."Yes, Jack Abramoff was a friend but he wasn't my coconspirator and I wasn't his," Safavian said. "There was no conspiracy to defraud anyone, least of all the taxpayers."
Safavian didn't say, however, what U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman wanted to hear. Early in the hearing, Friedman told defense attorneys he was leaning toward a sentence of 15-21 months in prison and was not convinced Safavian had accepted responsibility for his crimes.
"Get up here and tell me, 'I agree I concealed. I agree I obstructed justice,'" Friedman said earlier in the day. "I don't believe he's done that."
Safavian's sentence should be in shortly.
Update: The sentence comes down: 18 months in prison.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
GOPers Vouch for Convicted Bush Official
Two sitting congressmen and an administration official close to President Bush were among those who recently penned letters in support of David Safavian, the former administration official recently convicted for lying to ethics officials and Senate investigators about his ties to Jack Abramoff.
As part of a defense motion seeking probation or house arrest instead of jail time, Safavian recently offered letters from family members, friends, and others testifying to his good character. Prosecutors have asked that Safavian be sentenced to three years in prison.
Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT), for whom Safavian worked as chief of staff, wrote that Safavian had worked "tirelessly" for him, according to an excerpt from the letter in the defense motion. Cannon's spokesperson declined to release the entirety of the letter, saying that the excerpt "speaks for itself."
Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) offered a testimonial about Safavian's attention to the transfer of a lighthouse in Jones’ district during Safavian's term as chief of staff of the General Services Administration. Jones' spokeswoman said that Jones had been asked to write the account and offered the full text of the letter, which is after the jump.
Clay Johnson, the Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, and also one of President George W. Bush's oldest friends, described Safavian as a "real professional" who “recused himself at even the slightest possibility of the appearance of a conflict of interest.”
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Feds Want 3 Years for Convicted WH Official
Prosecutors have asked that David Safavian get three years in prison for lying to ethics and Senate investigators about his ties to Jack Abramoff.
Safavian, a former Bush administration appointee, was convicted back in June -- the first conviction in the Abramoff investigation. Safavian's lawyer has asked that he serve no prison time, arguing instead for home detention and/or community service. He's due to be sentenced October 27.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Safavian Sentencing Delayed
Government Executive's Kimberly Palmer reports that the former Abramoff golfing buddy could get a bad bump for "obstructing justice" during his trial:
David Safavian, the former head of the Office of Management and Budget's procurement policy shop convicted in June of obstructing justice and making false statements, has been granted a delay in his sentencing.PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The sentencing was originally scheduled for Oct. 12, but will be moved to Oct. 27. Safavian was convicted on three counts of making false statements and one count of obstructing an investigation. The case revolved around his dealings with former lobbyist Jack Abramoff while Safavian was at the General Services Administration, where he served as chief of staff.
Prosecutors apparently are seeking a two-point sentence enhancement -- which would add to the recommended prison time -- by arguing that Safavian obstructed justice during his trial. Safavian testified at his trial that he did not lie, make false statements, or obstruct an investigation, but the jury found him guilty of doing those things.
Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
No New Trial for Safavian, Judge Rules
A federal judge denied an appeal from former White House appointee David Safavian, who was convicted in June of four felony counts arising from the Jack Abramoff scandal.
"This Court concludes that there are no grounds for granting either defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal on any of the counts for which he was convicted," wrote Judge Paul Friedman, "or his motion for a new trial."
Safavian is scheduled for sentencing next month.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Ex-Admin Official Appeals Abramoff Verdict
David Safavian, who was convicted for lying about his relationship with Jack Abramoff to ethics officials and Senate investigators, is appealing.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
After Conviction, DoJ's Got More Gas in the Tank, Rev in the Motor
It's not every day that a former White House official is convicted on felony charges. But yesterday's verdict was far more significant than that.
For months, the Abramoff investigation has hummed quietly along, showing up in headlines only for the occasional occasional guilty plea from a former lobbyist and staffer. But bagging David Safavian is ample encouragement to put the pedal to the metal. We're talking Tokyo Drift, baby.
That's the consensus not only among legal experts, but also possible targets in the case. From The New York Times:
"Safavian was a little fish," said a lawyer for a former government official who has also become entangled in the investigations of Mr. Abramoff. The lawyer, who was granted anonymity to speak because he did not want to bring unnecessary attention to his client, added, "I think this makes it easier for the prosecutors to ask permission at the Justice Department to go for the bigger fish."
So who are those bigger fish?
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Safavian Trial: Guilty Verdict Was Expected, But Announcement a Surprise
The jury in the Safavian trial woke up this morning and decided to make life hard for us reporters. And to send David Safavian to jail.
After five days of deliberations that seemed to be as stop-and-go as the Beltway during rush hour, the jury slipped a note to the judge this morning around 9:30 which said they had made up their minds.
I'm not sure a single reporter was there when the verdict -- guilty on four of five counts, generally following expectations -- was read. It was sent to reporters via email, and we clambered to the courthouse to get a few questions to the lawyers and jury before they disappeared.
I may have been the last on the scene. By the time I made it to the sixth floor of the courthouse annex, where the trial had been held, a clutch of reporters was waiting. Moments later, Safavian's defense attorney, Barbara Van Gelder, emerged from the courtroom. TV and radio reporters asked her if she'd take questions in front of the building -- where they had their mics and cameras set up -- and she agreed.
The clutch followed her to the bank of elevators, politely asking Van Gelder questions about the trial. An elevator arrived and she got in. The clutch followed, wedging themselves en masse into the car. Not being a big fan of crowded elevators, I let them go without me and waited for another one.
As the next elevator arrived, who came around the corner but Safavian himself, with his wife, members of his defense team and a couple others I didn't recognize. In his by-now-trademark sober suit, he looked miserable. I had heard through the grapevine that he had privately been preparing himself for a guilty verdict, but in the courtroom he usually looked upbeat -- smiling, making friendly jokes, even breaking out into a small dance at one point.
He wasn't smiling or joking anymore. He had deep circles under his eyes. He looked me in the face as he got on the elevator. I realized it had been less than an hour since he learned he was facing a fate he had spent months of his life and many thousands of dollars trying to avoid.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Jury to Safavian: Don't Play Us for Chumps
There's one simple thing to take away from the verdict against David Safavian: for a player in Washington, gullibility is no defense. It's Washington; savviness is the name of the game. Safavian tried wide-eyed innocence -- let's call it the Forest Gump defense -- and it didn't fly.
Safavian swore under oath that Abramoff had flown him to Scotland on a golf junket as a buddy, essentially, and not as his inside man, his "champion" at the General Services Administration. And when Abramoff told him that his share of the lavish, week-long trip amounted to $3,100, he didn't think anything of it, because Abramoff was his pal.
Naivete didn't play well for Safavian, a former lobbyist and high-ranking official. The heart of the trial was his cross-examiniation, when prosecutors vividly illustrated the delusion necessary to construe a lobbyist's gifts as anything other than a bid for influence and access. Safavian testified that he just didn't see it that way. And the jury didn't believe him.
That has to be bad news for future targets of the Abramoff investigation, such as Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), who will eventually find himself, most likely, attempting to explain to a jury how he, in Forest Gump style, just happened to wander his way into a relationship with Abramoff.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Verdict: Guilty
Finally, the jury reached a verdict on David Safavian - guilty on four of the five counts.
From the AP:
Safavian was charged with two counts of obstructing justice during investigations into the Scotland trip by the GSA inspector general and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He also was charged with three counts of making false statements or concealing information from GSA ethics officials, a GSA inspector general investigator and a Senate investigator.The jury found Safavian guilty of obstructing the work of the GSA inspector general and of lying to a GSA ethics official. It also convicted him of lying to the GSA's Office of Inspector General and of making a false statement to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He was acquitted of a charge of obstructing the committee's investigation.
Update: Justin is down at the courthouse and will be posting later on what he saw and heard.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Jury: Three Counts Down, Two to Go?
By the looks of this AP report, it looks like the Safavian jurors have decided on three counts, and are still debating two:
The judge provided jurors with guidance on how to weigh a key piece of evidence in the last two of five criminal charges against Safavian, the former chief of staff at the General Services Administration. His trial is the first to arise in the Abramoff influence peddling scandal.PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Jury: Verdicts Are Hard, But Snitch Notes Are Easy
The jury in the David Safavian trial can't decide if he's guilty or innocent, but they are good at getting on each other's nerves.
In notes from jurors to the judge, one complains that Juror Number Three has admitted to having outside conversations about the trial.
Juror Number Three, meanwhile, complains to the judge that other jurors are making annoying cell phone calls during deliberations.
Settling both scores in a single stroke, the judge dismissed Juror Number Three.
Read the notes here. (Thanks to Reader DK.)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Trial: Man, This Jurying Is Hard Work
Another day closes, and the jury in the trial of former GSA official and Abramoff golf-buddy David Safavian has not have reached a verdict. They've got to decide on five counts of obstruction of justice and making false statements to investigators. Conventional wisdom has it that a long deliberation is a sign that the jury will acquit. But still, five counts -- can't be easy. Maybe they're just being very thorough.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Trial Stuck on the 18th Green
OK, no more golf references, I promise.
But after day one of the jury's deliberations, we still have no verdict.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Case Goes Back to Jury
That overzealous juror has been sent home, and the jury in the David Safavian trial has gone back to deliberating his fate.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Update: Juror Corruption at Corruption Trial
No verdict today, ladies and gentlemen. No -- it seems that one of the jurors had been discussing the case outside the courtroom, a big no-no, and now the two sides are in a fight over whether to toss her.
From the AP:
Prosecutors argued that a female juror should be dismissed because she disregarded the judge's instructions on several occasions and told other jurors Tuesday she had discussed the costs of a golf trip to Scotland with her father. Safavian's expenses for the August 2002 trip arranged by Abramoff have been an issue in trial testimony.PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The defense opposed replacing the juror with an alternate and said U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman should just give jurors a stiff warning to stop all outside discussions.
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman, who questioned the juror, decided he wanted to study similar cases before ruling on the government's dismissal motion. He said he would rule Tuesday morning, and asked the jury to return then.
Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
No Verdict Yet, But Safavian Gets Small Piece of Good News
The judge in the David Safavian trial threw out part of one charge against the former GSA official. Safavian still faces all five counts, however. AP reports:
[T]he judge dismissed a portion of one count of the indictment. The language said Safavian lied by telling a GSA ethics officer Abramoff had no business with the GSA and was not seeking to do business with the agency. There was no evidence during the trial that Safavian ever made such statements to the GSA, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said.The judge left intact the remainder of the count that Safavian concealed his assistance to Abramoff.
No word on a verdict; perhaps it will come tomorrow.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Trial on 18th Hole
Well, today's the day. We could have our first verdict of the Abramoff scandal by late afternoon.
Closing statements were this morning, continuing on into early afternoon. The prosecution will be telling jurors about what a liar and golfhound David Safavian is. And the defense will spin a tale of a loyal friend deceived by a devious golfing buddy.
The judge will then charge the jury, and then they're off to deliberate. Who knows how long they'll take? -- though I think the smart money is on them returning sometime today.
We'll bring you word of the verdict as soon as we hear.
If you need refreshing as to what this is all about, click here to see our prior coverage of the trial - from the hilarious highs to the boring, boring lows.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
AP: Safavian Admits Slips, But Says He Didn't Mean To
Here's AP's latest report on David Safavian's testimony today. I'll have some observations up shortly, but this is the meat of it. Safavian floated his excuses for why he misled investigators, and the prosecuto, incredulous, poked at them:
[Under the prosecution's questioning] Safavian insisted he hadn't intentionally misled GSA and Senate officials.PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Safavian also acknowledged that he told an FBI agent that he had advised Abramoff on two GSA properties in the fall of 2002, rather than as it actually happened in the weeks before he took a luxury-filled golf trip to Scotland that Abramoff arranged in August 2002.
"I was just mistaken about the time frame," Safavian testified.
With seeming disbelief, Zeidenberg asked if Safavian had forgotten that Abramoff first asked about one of the properties just eight days after Safavian joined GSA. And had he forgotten two dozen e-mails they exchanged about the properties in July 2002 and forgotten arranging and attending a meeting with Abramoff's representatives and GSA officials the day before he left on the trip, the prosecutor demanded.
Each time, Safavian insisted he had forgotten the dates and was not trying to conceal information from the agent.
Zeidenberg got Safavian to acknowledge that he did not know that the FBI agent already had copies of the July 2002 e-mails at the time of the interview.
Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Safavian against The Wall
If the snickers in the gallery during David Safavian's cross examination were any indication, things aren't looking too good for him. But he's still on the stand right now, and who knows? Maybe his lawyer will be able to put the pieces back together when she questions him again on re-direct.
Justin will be back later in the day to report how she did.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian
David Safavian
Safavian Trial: Cross-Exam Brings Audible Snickering
I was down at the district court yesterday afternoon to watch federal prosecutors begin their cross-examination of David Safavian.
The gallery was packed with spectators. Justice Department interns, clerks for other judges in the courthouse, and lawyers squeezed onto the hard wooden benches to see how the prosecutors would treat Safavian. They got a good show.
There were audible snickers from the gallery -- I'm not making this up -- at some of Safavian's answers. Some of the former White House official's answers seemed simply too disingenuous to believe. For instance, when the prosecutor, Peter Zeidenberg, asked why Safavian thought Jack Abramoff had invited Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) on the weeklong luxury golf trip to Scotland and England, Safavian said, "I thought Mr. Ney was on the trip to meet with Scottish Parliament."
(Minutes earlier, the prosecutor and Safavian had this exchange: "You were [in Scotland] on Sunday. Did you play golf?" "Yes." "And you played Monday, correct?" "Yes." "And you played Tuesday, correct?" "Yes." "And Wednesday, correct?" "Yes." "And Thursday?" Safavian couldn't remember Thursday.)
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (0) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Safavian, Jack Abramoff
David Safavian
Safavian: "Nothing to Hide"
Justin, who's been at the Safavian trial all day, just called in to say that Safavian has just completed the direct examination and now is on to the hard part - the cross examination.
As expected, Safavian, the former chief of staff at the General Services Administration, testified that he did not regard his advice to Jack Abramoff on how to navigate the GSA's bureaucracy as Abramoff having "business" before the GSA. And so he thinks he did nothing wrong when he neglected to tell GSA ethics officials about it when he asked their advice on accepting a ride on Abramoff's charter flight to Scotland.
His lawyer, Barbara van Gelder, took the tone of a prosecutor in her questions. And Safavian said, "I had nothing to hide about Jack Abramoff." He also denied that there had been any quid pro quo. When asked if he'd wanted a gift from Abramoff, he replied, "I didn’t want to take advantage of someone who had been my friend."
Dressed in a dark suit, black tie and white shirt, Safavian seemed to be trying to win the jury's sympathy. When one of them sneezed, he said, "bless you."
Assuming the sympathic posture of someone who's been unfairly used by a friend, he's not trying to run from his closeness to Abramoff.
"Are you still friends?" van Gelder asked.
He paused. Then he said, "We haven’t spoken in a long time," and added:“I will always consider myself his friend.”
Here's more from the AP.
Cross examination will be a rougher ride.
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David Safavian
Safavian To Take the Stand
Oh, what's this?
Earlier today, David Safavian's lawyer Barbara van Gelder said that she expected to wrap up her case today. But now it appears that Safavian will be taking the stand himself:
Safavian told the judge Friday morning that he plans to take the stand later today. The judge cautioned him that he was not required to testify.'For 10 months I've been catching grenades,' Safavian said. 'It's time to explain my side.'
So it all comes down to this. Justin is heading down to the courthouse now to see how Safavian does.
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David Safavian
Safavian Trial Jumps from 10th to 16th Hole
The golf extravaganza will soon be at an end, and we're within a week of the first verdict in the Abramoff scandal.
The prosecution finished up with their case yesterday, and David Safavian's lawyer says she'll be wrapping up her case today - she's only calling a few witnesses. That means we'll be hearing closing arguments as early as next week.
And soon after, jurors will get to decide whether Safavian lied when he told ethics officials that Abramoff had no business with the General Services Administration, where Safavian was a top official, when Safavian jetted off to Scotland with him.
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Jack Abramoff
A Junket to Remember
Yesterday, prosecutors in the David Safavian trial introduced pictures of the August 2002 golf junket to Scotland.
In this picture (here's a larger version), you can see from left to right, Neil Volz (former Ney aide, then Team Abramoff member, now felon), Ralph Reed, Paul Vinovich (Ney aide), Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) [a.k.a. Representative #1], William Heaton (Ney aide), David Safavian (on trial), Michael Williams (member of Team Abramoff), Alex Abramoff and Jack Abramoff. They're standing in front of the chartered plane that Abramoff booked to Scotland.
And here is a picture on the Scottish links. I believe this is Michael Williams, Volz, Safavian and Paul Vinovich:
Ah, good times, good times.
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David Safavian
Volz, Better on the Stand Than on the Links
I spent yesterday afternoon watching David Safavian's lawyer cross-examine Neil Volz, a former Hill staffer and Team Abramoff lobbyist who is cooperating with Justice in the Abramoff scandal. Volz appeared to keep what credibility he has largely intact, although Safavian's lawyer did get him to admit that neither he nor his former employer, Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), were very good golfers.
That morning, Volz had given some powerful testimony against Safavian, a White House official accused of lying to investigators about his relationship with Abramoff. Volz said Safavian was a "champion" for Abramoff's interests inside the Administration, who actively sought to help Abramoff and his associates find advantages within the government to benefit their clients.
In her opening statement, Safavian's lawyer Barbara Van Gelder assailed Volz for "climbing out of jail on David Safavian's back," so naturally I was expecting some exciting confrontations during her cross-examination of the guy. In particular, it seemed important to see how Volz -- the first government cooperator to testify in the Abramoff scandal -- would hold up under pressure. If Van Gelder found a way to destroy his credibility, it would make him (and possibly other government cooperators) less useful in future prosecutions, and theoretically make those cases harder for Justice to win.
Van Gelder had over four hours with Volz on the stand. At best, she managed to portray him as a self-interested schmuck who cared more about his own hide (and bank account) than the rule of law -- which, forgive me, isn't hard to do.
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David Safavian
Safavian Trial, Day 2: Still Boring
I checked in with colleagues who are covering the day-to-day of the David Safavian trial, and they largely concurred that day two was uneventful. "They read emails all day," one told me, referring to the notes between Jack Abramoff and Safavian that prosecutors released to the media many days ago.
I stopped by the courthouse this morning for the opening of the day's events; the courtroom gallery was mostly empty -- maybe half a dozen reporters, and a few more observers.
The hard-core crew seem to have their fingers crossed that the testimony of Neil Volz, the former Ney staffer and Abramoff colleague who's cooperating with prosecutors, will provide some fireworks. He may take the stand later this morning, I'm told, although smart money seems to be on him being called after lunch.
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David Safavian
Reed, Ney To Take Stand in Safavian Trial?
Now, here's a development that could make the David Safavian trial more interesting. Safavian's lawyer Barbara van Gelder has filed a motion seeking to confer immunity on three witnesses she wants to put on the stand. All three, she says, are under investigation by the Justice Department and have told her that they'll exercise their Fifth Amendment privilege if called.
So who are these mysterious three? The key to this case is the 2002 Scotland golf junket hosted by Jack Abramoff. Ralph Reed and Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) were also along for the ride, so either could be called. Van Gelder hasn't even ruled out calling Abramoff. That would be fun.
Other Ney staffers came on the trip too: Neil Volz (already a witness for the prosecution), Paul Vinovich, and Will Heaton. Vinovich and Heaton have both been subpoenaed by prosecutors, and Vinovich has signaled that he'll invoke the Fifth. So it seems pretty certain that van Gelder wants to hear from Vinovich.
But no matter who is called, there's no doubt what we'll be hearing about: golf.
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David Safavian
Safavian Trial: Golf! Golf. Golf. . .
I just got back from watching the opening arguments in the Safavian trial. There were some entertaining moments -- like when the judge forgot to swear in the jury, or when he blew up at a guy whose cell phone rang when court was in session. But in general, the lesson learned was this: the only thing more boring than golf is a trial about golf.
Paul's breakdown yesterday was essentially right: the prosecution argued that the case is about "lying, concealment and misleading." The defense countered that Safavian never lied and never misled. They'll bat that back and forth for a while, I suspect -- much as Paul predicted. Although, it looks like the defense has at least one strategy that could spell danger for prosecutors not just in this trial but others in the Abramoff scandal roll-up.
At the heart of the case is Safavian's motive for allegedly lying to investigators and obstructing probes. That motive, prosecutors seem to believe, is his overwhelming love of golf.
First, they say Safavian lied in order to go on that infamous golf trip to St. Andrews, Scotland with Abramoff, associates and lawmakers. Second, they say he loves golf so much that he was susceptible to Abramoff's seductions: "dangling" the prospect of working as a lobbyist at Jack's firm, "where [Safavian] could make a great deal of money, and play a great deal of golf," prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg explained.
So: Did Safavian help Abramoff with GSA property deals and lie about it, presumably so that he could a) play golf in Scotland while at the GSA, and b) play golf anywhere he pleased after landing a cushy job with Abramoff?
I don't know. I don't know how much he loves golf. But it became clear that a number of others in the courtroom -- myself included -- did not love golf at all.
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