Kanadesaga

Ex-Bush aide convicted in D.C. corruption case
Safavian found guilty on 4 counts of obstruction, making false statements

Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP file


In the Safavian case, prosecutors highlighted the name of Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio. They introduced a photograph of the congressman and Abramoff standing in front of a private jet that whisked them and other members of a golfing party for a five-day trip to the storied St Andrews Old Course in Scotland, and a second leg of the journey to London.

On the fifth day

The trial consumed eight days of testimony about Safavian’s assistance to Abramoff regarding government-owned real estate and the weeklong golfing excursion to Scotland that the lobbyist organized.

Safavian went on the trans-Atlantic trip while he was chief of staff at the General Services Administration, and other participants besides Ney included two of the congressman’s aides and Christian Coalition founder Ralph Reed.

The verdict came on the fifth day of jury deliberations.

Safavian sat impassively as the judge read the verdict and showed no expression when the judge announced the guilty verdicts on each of four counts. Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 12.

“The task force will say how this was a great day in the war on corruption,” said Barbara van Gelder, Safavian’s lawyer, referring to the Justice Department task force investigating the Abramoff scandal. “I find they made a mountain out of a molehill and now they’re going to plant the flag on top of the molehill.”

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