David Safavian

Safavian Found Guilty Of Lying to Feds

Zachary Roth | December 19, 2008, 1:55PM

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.

David Safavian

Safavian Jury Reaches Verdict

Zachary Roth | December 19, 2008, 12:37PM

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...

Jack Abramoff

Guilty Plea For Another Abramoff Crony

Zachary Roth | December 12, 2008, 4:27PM

James Hirni, the former lobbyist who was charged last month in connection with the wide-ranging Jack Abamoff probe, pleaded guilty today to providing an all-expenses paid trip to the World Series in New York to two congressional staffers, including entertainment at a strip club and a chauffeur-driven SUV.

Hirni was at the time a lobbyist for an equipment rental company that was pushing legislation in Congress. He recently was fired from his job doing "Republican outreach" for Wal-Mart, after news of the charges surfaced.

One of the two staffers who received the free trip, Trevor Blackann, a former aide to GOP senator Kit Bond, pleaded guilty last month to failing to disclose the trip on his tax returns.

Hirni's lawyer last month told ABCNews.com that Hirni is cooperating with prosecutors, suggesting that the feds are still working to build cases against bigger fish.

David Safavian

Potential Safavian Jurors Asked Whether They Play Golf

Zachary Roth | December 1, 2008, 6:29PM

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.