Yet another in a series of abusers of power and access. They’re starting to fall from the trees

like rotten fruit. mjh

A Detour in The Corridor Of Power By Thomas B. Edsall, Washington Post Staff

Writer

Indictment Snaps Rapid Rise of Republican Star

Before he was indicted on five felony counts of lying to

investigators, David H. Safavian was positioned to break out of the pack of Republican operatives working in Washington.

Just 38, he was administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy at the president’s Office of Management and Budget, with the

authority to make the rules governing $300 billion in annual expenditures, including those in response to Hurricane Katrina.

But

that was before federal agents appeared at his home on Sept. 19 and arrested Safavian in connection with the investigation of

Jack Abramoff, charging that Safavian lied about his dealings with the onetime powerhouse lobbyist and misled investigators from

the General Services Administration and the Senate.

Knowing the indictment was imminent, Safavian had resigned his post three days

earlier….

Safavian set out a decade ago to win the backing of influential conservative Republicans such as Abramoff and anti-tax

crusader Grover Norquist. In the intense competition for power in Washington, Safavian climbed the political ladder in the relatively

short span of 10 years. …

On Sept 28, 2004, The Washington Post disclosed that in August 2002, Safavian, who was then at the

GSA, had gone on a golfing trip to Scotland arranged by Abramoff. House Administration Committee Chairman Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) and

lobbyist and former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed were also on the trip.

Safavian told GSA officials when he took the trip

that he had no business dealings with Abramoff. The federal affidavit filed when Safavian was arrested says Abramoff had asked Safavian

about acquiring property controlled by the GSA, butSafavian’s lawyer contends the inquiries did not constitute “doing business,” and

said Safavian paid his share of the $120,000-plus trip by giving Abramoff a check for $3,100.