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September 21, 2005
Arrested Bush Official Was Questioned on Terrorist Ties
Below are two stories on the curious situation of David Safavian, arrested September 19. One thing to keep in mind while reading the coverage is that, while Safavian is correctly characterized as an "ex/former" Bush Administration official, that status came about only because he resigned three days before his arrest.
Ex-Bush aide didn't reveal lobbying
Arrested ex-official initially didn't tell panel about work
San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 21, 2005
WASHINGTON -- David Safavian, the Bush administration official arrested Monday, initially failed to disclose lobbying work he had done for several controversial foreign clients when he went before a Senate panel last year to be confirmed as chief of the White House's federal procurement office.
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee held up Safavian's nomination for more than a year, in part because of lawmakers' concerns about lobbying work for two men later accused of links to suspected terror organizations, according to committee documents. The Senate panel nevertheless approved him unanimously, and the Senate followed suit on Nov. 21, 2004. (See full story.)
Former White House Official Arrested
Wasington Post, Sept. 19, 2005
WASHINGTON -- A former Bush administration official was arrested Monday on charges he made false statements and obstructed a federal investigation into his dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to court documents and government officials.
David Safavian, then-chief of staff of the General Services Administration and a former Abramoff lobbying associate, concealed from federal investigators that Abramoff was seeking to do business with GSA when Safavian joined him on a golf trip to Scotland in 2002, according to an FBI affidavit and the officials. (Read full story.)
Posted by MJuhre at September 21, 2005 09:10 AM