David Hossein Safavian (born August 4, 1967) is a former chief of staff of the United States General Services Administration (GSA) and a figure in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and corruption scandal. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The General Services Administration ( GSA) is an Independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff,

In 2004, he was an employee of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB is a Cabinet -level office and is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP He was arrested and charged with crimes in connection with the Abramoff corruption scandal. He was convicted and, on October 27, 2006, sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Career prior to GSA

An Iranian American from Detroit, Michigan, Safavian graduated fifth in his class at Detroit College of Law. The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, The Jack Abramoff Guam investigation involves an alleged plot by lobbyist Jack Abramoff and others to control the functions of the courts in Guam. The Jack Abramoff CNMI scandal involves the efforts of Jack Abramoff, other lobbyists, and government officials to change or prevent or both Congressional action The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (IGPA was a 1999 bill in the US Senate to ban Internet gambling The monetary influence of Jack Abramoff ran deep in Washington as Jack Abramoff spent millions of dollars to influence and entertain Republican politicians SunCruz Casinos is one of many cruise lines that offer "cruises to nowhere" legally transporting passengers into International waters beyond the reach of Jack Abramoff (born February 28 1959 is a former Lobbyist, and a businessman who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. John Albaugh is a former Republican Congressional staffer who was the fourteenth person found guilty in the Jack Abramoff scandals. Robert Jared Carpenter was the vice president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy beginning in 2000 Robert E Coughlin, II is an American Lawyer and was formerly the Deputy Chief of Staff Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice. Italia Federici (born August 12, 1969) the former president of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy (CREA James Steven "Steve" Griles (born December 13, 1947) was a Coal lobbyist and the Deputy Secretary for the U William Heaton (born 1979 is the former chief of staff for former Rep Adam Kidan is a former business associate of convicted Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who partnered with Abramoff in the purchase of SunCruz Casinos. Robert William "Freedom Bob" Ney (born July 5 1954) is an American politician from the U Tony Charles Rudy (born May 3, 1966) an American Lobbyist and an associate of Jack Abramoff. Michael Scanlon is a former communications director for Rep Tom DeLay, Lobbyist, and Public relations executive who has plead guilty to corruption charges Roger G Stillwell (born October 13, 1939) an American Lobbyist. Neil Volz was Chief of Staff to Representative Bob Ney (R-Ohio staff director of the House Administration Committee and later part of Team Abramoff, when he left Mark Zachares is a former Congressional aide to Rep Don Young (R-AK and lobbyist who pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from lobbyist Edwin A Buckham is a former congressional staffer and lobbyist who presently is under investigation in various scandals surrounding high-profile lobbyist Jack Abramoff Thomas Dale DeLay (born April 8 1947 is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Sugar Land, Texas. Thomas Charles "Tom" Feeney III usually known as Tom Feeney (born May 21 1958) is a Republican politician from the state of Ernest James Istook Jr (born February 11 1950, in Fort Worth Texas) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives Kevin A Ring was a Lobbyist and Republican Congressional staffer "Team Abramoff" is the team of lobbyists assembled by Jack Abramoff when he worked at Greenberg Traurig, primarily of former aides to prominent Congressional Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis ( 1949 - February 6 2001) was a land-developer casino operator and restaurant owner of Greek descent who was murdered Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is president of anti- Tax Lobbying group Americans for Tax Reform. Susan Bonzon Ralston (born October 15 1967) is the President of SBR Enterprises LLC a government affairs public relations and business consulting firm in Ralph Eugene Reed Jr, (born June 24, 1961) is a conservative American political activist best known as the first executive director of Rev Louis P "Lou" Sheldon (born 1934 in Washington DC Robert Warren "Bob" Schaffer (born July 24, 1962) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from the Jack Abramoff 's career brought him into contact with numerous organizations including lobbying firms restaurants Think tanks and charitable organizations Several Native American tribes were defrauded by Lobbyist Jack Abramoff in his namesake Indian lobbying scandal. The following is a list of trips for politicians lobbyists and staffers funded by Jack Abramoff. 1980s 1981 - Elected Chairman of the College Republican National Committee in a campaign managed by Grover Norquist, the executive director of the Iranian Americans are American citizens of Iranian ethnicity or heritage The Michigan State University College of Law, established in 1891 as the Detroit College of Law, was the first law school in the Detroit Michigan area and the In Michigan, he served as an aide to Congressmen Robert William Davis (R-MI) and Bill Schuette (R-MI), and still later he worked for the lobbying firm of Janus-Merritt Strategies. Robert William Davis (born July 31, 1932) is a Politician from the U William Duncan "Bill" Schuette (born October 13 1953) is politician and jurist from the U Janus-Merritt Strategies was a lobbying firm founded in 1997 by conservative activist Grover Norquist and then-lawyer David Safavian, who would later become better

Safavian was a longtime friend of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Jack Abramoff (born February 28 1959 is a former Lobbyist, and a businessman who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. In the mid-1990s, the two worked at the Washington-based lobbying firm of Preston Gates & Ellis. See also Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis Preston Gates & Ellis LLP, also known as Preston Gates, was a Law firm with offices in There they brought in millions to the firm while working on the Mississippi Choctaw tribal account. The pair were members of a team, reports CNN, “that was lobbying to keep the Northern Mariana Islands [a US territory] free from certain US labor and immigration laws. ”

In 1997, Safavian and Grover Norquist founded a lobbying firm, the Merritt Group, which was renamed Janus-Merritt Strategies (and is sometimes referred to as "Janus Merritt" or simply "Janus"). Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is president of anti- Tax Lobbying group Americans for Tax Reform. Janus-Merritt Strategies was a lobbying firm founded in 1997 by conservative activist Grover Norquist and then-lawyer David Safavian, who would later become better The tenor of the firm was fiercely ideological. "We represent clients who really do have an interest in a smaller federal government," Safavian told Legal Times in a 1997 interview. "We're all very ideologically driven, and have a bias in favor of free markets. " He went on: "We're not letting people who offer us money change our principles. "

The firm's clients included businesses like BP America, the U. S. division of British Petroleum. BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major There were foreign companies like the Corporacion Venezolana de Cementos and Grupo Financiero Banorte. There were gaming interests, including Indian tribes: the Saginaw Chippewa - a client the firm shared with Jack Abramoff, the Viejas band of Kumeyaay Indians, and the National Indian Gaming Association. ^[1] Safavian also registered as a lobbyist for the government of Pakistan, the government of Gabon, and Pascal Lissouba, the corrupt former president of the Republic of the Congo. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Gabon (gəˈbɒn or /gaˈbõ/ in French) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic Professor Pascal Lissouba (born November 15, 1931) was President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville

In 1999, Safavian founded the Internet Consumer Choice Coalition, a nonprofit whose sole purpose was to fight a bill authored by Republican Arizona senator Jon Kyl that would have made online gambling a federal crime. This page is about the current Arizona Senator for his father a U Coalition members included the American Civil Liberties Union, the Association of Concerned Taxpayers, Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Interactive Services Association, the Small Business Survival Committee, and the United States Internet Council. The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE is a conservative political group operating in the United States, whose self-described mission is "to fight for The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI is a Non-profit public policy organization founded in 1984 by Fred L Some coalition members--the Interactive Services Association, for one--were also clients of Safavian's. Another, Americans for Tax Reform, was Norquist's activist group. Americans for Tax Reform is an Interest group seeking to reduce the overall level of Taxation in the United States, at the federal state and local level ^[1] An Oct. 12, 2006 Senate Finance Committee report^[2] concludes most of these organizations abused their tax exempt status.

In January 2001, Safavian left Janus-Merritt to become Chief of Staff for Representative Chris Cannon. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Christopher Black Cannon (born October 20 1950) is a member of the United States House of Representatives, for the Republican Party, representing

Federal positions

In early 2002, Safavian began looking for a new job. On February 4, 2002, he sent lobbyist Jack Abramoff his resume, receiving a very positive response five days later. Jack Abramoff (born February 28 1959 is a former Lobbyist, and a businessman who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. In mid-April, Safavian interviewed at Greenberg Traurig, the firm that employed Abramoff. Greenberg Traurig LLP is an international Law firm with approximately 1800 Attorneys and governmental professionals in 30 locations in the United States Soon after that he got an offer for a job at the U. S. General Services Administration (GSA). The General Services Administration ( GSA) is an Independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning On April 30, he wrote to Abramoff: "my gut is telling me to take the GSA job before joining up with you and your band of merry men. "^[3]

On May 16, 2002, GSA Administrator Stephen A. Perry named Safavian as Senior Advisor and Acting Deputy Chief of Staff at the GSA. He took the place of Angela Styles, an advisor known for challenging Congressional pressure to award contracts. "The most serious challenge to Styles came from Rep. Tom Davis (R. Thomas M "Tom" Davis III (born January 5 1949 in Minot, North Dakota) is a Republican member of the United -Va. ), the chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is a United States House of Representatives committee that has existed in varying forms since 1816 "^[4] Two months later, Safavian was named Chief of Staff of the GSA to replace Brian Allan Jackson, who was leaving the agency to pursue an MBA from Harvard Business School. Harvard Business School ( HBS) is a renowned Business school in the United States

On November 4th, 2003, President George W. Bush announced Safavian's nomination to be the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB is a Cabinet -level office and is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP ^[5], where he set purchasing policy for the entire government. ^[6]

Indictment, trial, & conviction

A picture at Carnoustie, the famed Scottish golf course. Carnoustie (kærnuːsti is a town and former Police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland From left to right: convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, golf organizer Jason Murdoch, former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, convicted former Bush administration official David Safavian and convicted former Congressman Bob Ney

David Safavian was indicted October 5, 2005. Jack Abramoff (born February 28 1959 is a former Lobbyist, and a businessman who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. Ralph Reed may refer to Ralph E Reed Jr, American political strategist Ralph Edwin Reed American baseball player better known as Ted Reed Robert William "Freedom Bob" Ney (born July 5 1954) is an American politician from the U Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was accused of making false statements and obstructing investigations into his dealings with Jack Abramoff while he was chief of staff for the General Services Administration. His trial started May 25, 2006. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Guilty verdicts on four of five felony counts of lying and obstruction were returned June 20. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. ^[7]

Safavian's indictment referred, among other things, to an August 2002 golf trip to St. Andrews, Scotland involving Jack Abramoff, House Republican Bob Ney and Ney's chief of staff and former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed. The following is a list of trips for politicians lobbyists and staffers funded by Jack Abramoff. St Andrews (Cill Rìmhinn is a Town and former Royal burgh on the east coast of Fife, Scotland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Jack Abramoff (born February 28 1959 is a former Lobbyist, and a businessman who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. Robert William "Freedom Bob" Ney (born July 5 1954) is an American politician from the U Ralph Reed may refer to Ralph E Reed Jr, American political strategist Ralph Edwin Reed American baseball player better known as Ted Reed

In short, the allegations were that: (a) it was illegal to accept that trip (because Abramoff had dealings with GSA at the time), (b) Safavian lied about the trip, and provided false documentation, thereby obstructing both Senate and executive branch investigations into the matter; and (c) that he concealed his efforts to help Abramoff acquire control of two federally managed properties in the Washington area for Eshkol Academy and a tribal client. Eshkol Academy was an all-boys Orthodox Jewish day school in Maryland that existed from fall 2002 to 2004.

The indictment acknowledged that prior to departure, David Safavian wrote a check for $3,100, which is the identical amount listed on Rep. Bob Ney's (R-OH) Congressional travel papers for the trip (note: Congressional travel is not constrained by a dollar limitation). Executive branch ethics rules do not require agency officials to ask permission to take personal travel on personal time, so long as the federal official is paying his own way for the cost of the trip. Prosecutors, however, said the trip of nine participants cost more than $130,000. ^[8]

Evidence introduced at trial showed that in July 2002, Safavian sent an e-mail to the GSA's ethics office asking if it would be permissible to go on a paid golf trip with Abramoff to Scotland. In his email to the GSA attorney, Safavian states that he has already decided that he will be covering all other associated travel cost (i. e. meals, lodging, and greens fees). In his request, Safavian described Abramoff as "a lawyer and lobbyist, but one that has no business before GSA (he does all his work on Capitol Hill). " The ethics office approved the trip the next day on the grounds that "neither Mr. Abramoff nor his firm does business with or is seeking to do business with GSA. "

The government contended that emails at the time clearly showed that Safavian "was helping to provide Abramoff with information about the best way to obtain the two parcels of federal land, which were controlled by the GSA", and that this constituted doing business, or "seeking to do business" with the GSA. In her opening statement to the jury, Barbara Van Gelder, Safavian's lawyer, insisted that "David Safavian was not in Jack Abramoff's pocket, but he was a friend and he answered his questions. " ^[9]

Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Rep. Richard John Santorum (born May 10, 1958) is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Tom Davis of Virginia, returned campaign donations that they received from Safavian. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state

On June 20, 2006, Safavian was found guilty by a jury in federal court on four of five felony charges. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. He was found guilty of lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, lying to a GSA ethics official, lying to the GSA's Office of Inspector General, and obstructing the work of the GSA inspector general. Safavian was cleared of obstructing the committee's investigation. ^[9]

On July 13, 2006, Safavian asked for a new trial on the grounds that the emails used in the trial constituted hearsay. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Justice Department officials have until July 31 to respond to the motions. A hearing was planned for August 24, 2006. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[10]

On October 27, 2006, U. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman sentenced Safavian to 18 months in prison. ^[11][12]

Lobbying accusations

Safavian has been accused of working as a lobbyist for Abdurahman Alamoudi, founder of the American Muslim Council. Abdul Rahman Al-Amoudi also Abdurahman Alamoudi, is the founder of the American Muslim Council in the United States. The American Muslim Council ( AMC) is an Islamic organization and registered charity in the United States.

At his Senate confirmation hearing in April 2004, Safavian said that "To my knowledge, neither I nor Janus-Merritt did any work for Mr. Alamoudi. " "I do not know why Mr. Alamoudi was erroneously listed in the client's lobby disclosure forms. " More, "I do not believe Janus-Merritt received any funds from Mr. Alamoudi. "

But, according to Senate disclosure reports on file, this was incorrect. For years Janus-Merritt registered as a lobbyist for Alamoudi. And then, on December 17, 2001, after Safavian had left the firm, Janus-Merritt resubmitted its disclosure forms. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. This time the name of Alamoudi had been replaced by the name of Dr. Jamal al Barzinji. Dr Jamal al Barzinji is a noted American businessman and intellectual most recently associated with the International Institute of Islamic Thought, the World Assembly Why the firm changed its registration is unknown.

For his part, Safavian told the Senate, al Barzinji, not Alamoudi, was his client. "Dr. Jamal al Barzinji," he said, "should have been listed as the client retaining the firm for work related to Malaysian political prisoner Anwar Ibrahim. " In fact, Barzinji had been listed as a contact, not a client, on all the disclosure forms.

The replacement name is also problematic. On March 20, 2002, Barzinji's home was raided by a federal task force investigating terrorist finances. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. A federal affidavit identifies Barzinji as the ringleader of a group suspected of aiding terrorists. ^[1]

Miscellaneous

David Safavian is married to Jennifer McLaughlin, and they have a daughter, Kathleen. ^[13] Jennifer Safavian is one of twelve counsels for oversight and investigations on the House Government Reform Committee. Jennifer McLaughlin Safavian, is one of twelve counsels for oversight and investigations on the United States Congress House Government Reform Committee, which is ^[14]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Continetti, Matthew (10/10 2005). "Scandal Season". The Weekly Standard 11 (4).  
2. ^ http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:7ukQbS4t1zMJ:www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/3626/1/3%3FTopicID%3D
3. ^ TPMmuckraker | Talking Points Memo | From the Safavian Files: Abramoff Goes a-Wooing
4. ^ Are We Better Off: Contracts With America
5. ^ Personnel Announcement
6. ^ Bush Official Arrested in Corruption Probe
7. ^ Safavian Found Guilty of Lying, Obstruction, Peter Yost, Associated Press
8. ^ Safavian found guilty in Abramoff scandal
9. ^ ^{a b} Trial reporting:
   • http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/05/25/safavian/index.html
   • Former Ney Aide Details How Abramoff Treated 'Champions, Susan Schmidt, Washington Post, May 31, 2006
   • Safavian Is Found Guilty in Lobbyist Trial, Associated Press, June 20, 2006
10. ^ Michaela May. The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio "Convicted former procurement chief requests new trial", CongressDaily, July 13, 2006.  
11. ^ Madway, Gabriel. "Ex-GSA Chief of Staff Safavian gets 18-month sentence", MarketWatch, 2006-10-27. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Retrieved on 2006-10-27. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross.  
12. ^ Susan Schmidt. "Official in Abramoff Case Sentenced to 18 Months", Washington Post, October 28, 2006, p.  A03.  
13. ^ David Safavian
14. ^ http://www.oic-starr.gov/p000306.htm