Figure in Abramoff scandal to be sentenced

[October 16, 2009]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Stung by a jury that deadlocked on charges against a former lobbyist, federal prosecutors in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal are returning to court in an attempt to make sure one of their biggest catches is sent to prison.

David Safavian, the former top procurement official in the George W. Bush administration, says his life is in ruins because of his convictions for lying to investigators about his relationship with Abramoff. Now Safavian wants to be spared a prison term. He was scheduled to appear Friday before U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman for sentencing.

Federal prosecutors are seeking 15 months to 21 months behind bars for Safavian.

On Thursday at the same federal courthouse, prosecutors were dealt a setback in another Abramoff-related trial, that of ex-lobbyist Kevin Ring, which ended in a mistrial.

Ring was accused of lavishing tickets and meals on employees of then-Republican Reps. John Doolittle of California and Ernest Istook of Oklahoma and on Justice Department officials in return for congressional appropriations and other assistance for Abramoff's clients.

The prosecution said the government intended to seek a date for a retrial. A status conference with the judge was set for Monday.

Ring is only the second person implicated in the Abramoff scandal to fight the criminal charges at trial rather than pleading guilty and cutting a deal to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for the possibility of a reduced sentence. The other was Safavian, whose convictions were overturned following a trial in 2006. Safavian was convicted again in a retrial.

As chief of staff at the General Services Administration, Safavian supplied Abramoff information about two pieces of GSA-controlled property the now-imprisoned lobbyist wanted. Questioned later by investigators, Safavian said Abramoff had no business before GSA.

Around the time he was giving information to Abramoff, Safavian paid Abramoff $3,100 for a weeklong golfing junket to Scotland in August 2002. Prosecutors said the amount was far short of the cost of a chartered jet, $400- and $500-a-night hotel rooms, $400 rounds of golf at the famed St. Andrews golf course and $100 rounds of drinks.

Abramoff wanted Safavian's help with property in the Maryland suburbs of Washington for a Jewish school Abramoff established and wanted to give an Indian tribe client a leg up on obtaining a contract to redevelop the historic Old Post Office in downtown Washington as a luxury hotel. Safavian subsequently moved from GSA to the Bush White House, where he became the top procurement official in the government.

In court papers this week, prosecutors said Safavian has failed to show any remorse.

Safavian committed the crimes he was convicted of "simply because he thought he could get away with it," prosecutors declared in court papers filed this week. "The defendant's abuse of his position of trust counsels against awarding him the breathtakingly lenient sentence of probation or home detention that he requests."

In pleading for leniency, Safavian's lawyers said sending him to prison would punish his pregnant wife and their 6-year-old daughter. He said he has lost his job, lost his law license and cannot perform government contracting work.

Safavian was convicted of obstructing an investigation by the inspector general at the GSA and of lying to the FBI and a GSA ethics officer and of making a false statement on his financial disclosure form.

[Associated Press; By PETE YOST]

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