David Safavian: Articles & Commentary

David Safavian, nominated by President George W. Bush as Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on January 22, 2004, resigned on September 16, 2005, and was arrested September 19, 2005, for making "repeated false statements to government officials and investigators about a golf trip" to Scotland he took in 2002 with Jack Abramoff.

On June 20, 2006, Safavian was found guilty of lying about his ties to convicted lobbyist, Jack Abramoff.

According to a new five-count felony indictment dated October 5, 2005, Safavian was charged with "obstructing a GSA proceeding, obstructing a U.S. Senate proceeding, and making false statements, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced."

Articles & Commentary

2003

• Amelia Gruber and Jason Peckenpaugh, "GSA official nominated to be federal procurement chief," GovExec.com, November 4, 2003.

2004

• Peter H. Stone, "K Street Stumble," National Journal, March 27, 2004.
• Jason Peckenpaugh, "Purchasing Power," GovExec.com, September 15, 2004: "Where might David Safavian lead White House procurement policy?"
• R. Jeffrey Smith, "Foundation's Funds Diverted From Mission. Records Detail Spending By GOP Lobbyist Abramoff," Washington Post, September 28, 2004.

2005

• Stephen Barr, "Teaching Uncle Sam to Be a Better Buyer. New Procurement Administrator Will Oversee How Federal Contracts Are Awarded," Washington Post, January 21, 2005.
• "Have a (hot) seat. David Safavian jumps into fray as new head of federal procurement," Washington Technology, March 7, 2005: "Safavian brings to the job an understanding of both public and private sectors, as well as of Congress. Before working at the Office of Management and Budget, he was chief of staff for GSA Administrator Stephen Perry and also worked for two congressmen."
• "Controversial lobbyist had close contact with Bush team," Associated Press (USA Today), May 6, 2005: At least two people who worked on Jack Abramoff's team at Preston Gates wound up with Bush administration jobs: Patrick Pizzella, named an assistant secretary of labor by Bush; and David Safavian, chosen by Bush to oversee federal procurement policy in the Office of Management and Budget."
• "New York Times barking up right tree, a Greece Palm. Story ties Abramoff to Norquist -- scandal expanding toward White House?" Project USA, May 24, 2005.
• "Abramoff's Homies," Why Are We Back in Iraq Blog, September 1, 2005.
• Florence Olsen, "OFPP administrator, facing criminal charges, resigns," FCW.com, September 19, 2005.
• "Former GSA Official Charged with Making False Statements, Obstructing Federal Investigation," U.S. Newswire (Department of Justice), September 19, 2005.
• Billmon, "Beyond Satire," Whiskey Bar, September 19, 2005.
• "Former Bush Administration Official Charged," Associated Press (New York Times), September 20, 2005.
• Mark Sherman, "Former White House Official Arrested," Associated Press (Washington Post), September 19, 2005; also "Obstruction Charge For Ex-WH Aide," AP (CBS News), September 20, 2005.
• Philip Shenon and Anne E. Kornblut, "Ex-White House Aide Charged in Corruption Case," New York Times, September 20, 2005.

Note: Safavian is being referred to by the AP, and repeated by the Washington Post and New York Times, as being a "former" White House official, when, in fact, he resigned just before he was arrested.

• Laura Rozen, "White House OMB official David Safavian arrested, for allegedly obstructing a GSA investigation and making false statements concerning his ties to Jack Abramoff," War and Piece, September 19, 2005.
• "Top Procurement Official Safavian Arrested," Project On Government Oversight, September 19, 2005.
• "Safavian the Lobbyist," Project On Government Oversight, September 19, 2005.
• "Abramoff's corruption spreads to the Bush administration," The Carpetbagger Report, September 20, 2005.
• "Abramoff associate arrested," The Hill, September 20, 2005.
• R. Jeffrey Smith and Susan Schmidt, "Bush Official Arrested in Corruption Probe," Washington Post, September 20, 2005.
• Dan Froomkin, "Scandal Visits the White House," Washington Post, September 20, 2005.
• "Safavian's Wife's Recusal Policy," Project On Government Oversight, September 20, 2005.
• John Byrne, "Email from arrested White House official suggests powerful congressman lied about trip," The Raw Story, September 20, 2005.
• "FBI: Former administration official obstructed lobbyist probe. Budget aide allegedly hid ties to Abramoff," Associated Press (CNN), September 20, 2005.
• "David Safavian: An 'Old Friend' of Abramoff's," BuzzFlash Alert, September 20, 2005.
• Mike Disharoon, "The Stakeout: David Safavian Special Edition," The Stakeholder, September 20, 2005. Provides a good overview of some of the issues which will emerge regarding Safavian's OMB position and actions.
• "Top Bush Official Arrested in Corruption Probe," The Progress Report, September 20, 2005.
• "Pelosi on Safavian," DCCC Blog, September 20, 2005.
• "The School Safavian and Abramoff Built," Think Progress, September 20, 2005.
• Susan Schmidt and R. Jeffrey Smith, "Aide Was Reticent on Lobbying for Foreign Clients," Washington Post, September 21, 2005.
• Mark Sherman, "Abramoff Probe Moves Forward With Arrest," Washington Post, September 22, 2005.
• Josh Marshall, "Start the Abramoff conflict-of-interest discussion here," The Hill, September 22, 2005.
• Michael Isikoff, "A Washington Sand Trap. A golf outing trips up a widening circle of power brokers," Newsweek, posted September 25, 2005 (October 3, 2005 issue).
• Robert Scheer, "Corrupt Connections. Widening Abramoff scandal exposes GOP cronyism," robertscheer.com, September 27, 2005.
• Michael J. Sniffen, "Former Bush Official Indicted in Probe," Washington Post, October 5, 2005.
• "Former GSA Chief of Staff David H. Safavian Indicted for Obstruction of Proceedings and False Statements," US Newswire, October 5, 2005.
• Thomas B. Edsall, "Ex-White House Aide Indicted in Abramoff Case," Washington Post, October 6, 2005.
• Susan Schmidt and James Grimaldi, "Lawmakers Under Scrutiny in Probe of Lobbyist. Ney and DeLay Among the Members of Congress Said to Be a Focus of Abramoff Investigation," Washington Post, November 26, 2005.

2006

• Mark Sherman, "E-Mails Cited in Lobbyist, Bush Aide Ties," Associated Press (Forbes), April 14, 2006: "A batch of 278 e-mails between lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a Bush administration official show a highly inappropriate relationship where gifts and business interests mixed freely and frequently," according to federal prosecutors.
• "E-mails reveal White House-Abramoff link. Top Bush procurement official offered lobbyist help with 'damage control'," Associated Press (MSNBC), May 10, 2006.
• Pete Yost, "Safavian Found Guilty in Lobbyist Trial," Associated Press (ABC News), June 20, 2006.
• "US aide lied about lobbyist links," BBC, June 21, 2006.
• Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, "Ex-Aide To Bush Found Guilty. Safavian Lied in Abramoff Scandal," Washington Post, June 21, 2006.
• Susan Schmidt, "Official in Abramoff Case Sentenced to 18 Months," Washington Post, October 28, 2006.

2008

• David Stout, "Court Overturns Ex-Official’s Conviction in Lobbying Case", New York Times, June 18, 2008.