Abramoff E-Mails to Get First Courtroom Airing in Safavian Case

[Robbien]

May 22 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. government's probe of influence peddling linked to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, based largely on a trail of e-mails, gets its first courtroom test this week in the case of former White House official David Safavian.

Safavian, 38, goes on trial in a Washington courtroom on charges he concealed Abramoff's interest in government business when seeking permission to accept airfare for a Scotland golf trip from the lobbyist in 2002. Safavian is also accused of obstructing inquiries into the matter. He pleaded not guilty.

Abramoff has pled guilty to conspiracy to corrupt lawmakers and is cooperating with prosecutors. The Justice Department has also secured guilty pleas from three former congressional aides who worked for Republican Representatives Tom DeLay of Texas and Bob Ney of Ohio.

``This may be one of the rare times where the Justice Department has to lay out its whole case publicly,'' said Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who runs the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. ``It may be the only one where they ever go to trial.''

Abramoff, 47, promises to figure prominently in the trial though he may not actually testify. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman granted a request by prosecutors Peter Zeidenberg and Nathaniel Edmonds to permit hundreds of e-mails written or received by Abramoff to be admitted as evidence. The judge excluded just 14 of the government's exhibits.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aqVyo4Z3w1Yk&refer=us

The Jefferson tapes were ten months old and released this week. Abramoff's E-Mails to be released this week. Coincidence?

[Pirate Smile]

1. Abramoff E-Mails to Get First Courtroom Airing in Safavian Case

Abramoff E-Mails to Get First Courtroom Airing in Safavian Case

By Kristin Jensen

May 22 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. government's probe of influence peddling linked to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, based largely on a trail of e-mails, gets its first courtroom test this week in the case of former White House official David Safavian.

Safavian, 38, goes on trial in a Washington courtroom on charges he concealed Abramoff's interest in government business when seeking permission to accept airfare for a Scotland golf trip from the lobbyist in 2002. Safavian is also accused of obstructing inquiries into the matter. He pleaded not guilty.

Abramoff has pled guilty to conspiracy to corrupt lawmakers and is cooperating with prosecutors. The Justice Department has also secured guilty pleas from three former congressional aides who worked for Republican Representatives Tom DeLay of Texas and Bob Ney of Ohio.

``This may be one of the rare times where the Justice Department has to lay out its whole case publicly,'' said Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who runs the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. ``It may be the only one where they ever go to trial.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aqVyo4Z3w1Yk

[boobooday]

2. Bring 'em on

:popcorn:

[babylonsister]

3. Well hallelujah! A corrupt repug might get some face time!

:applause: :applause:

[Moderator]

4. k

[sabra]

5. (Abramoff) Lobbying Trial to Look Inside White House

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1995033


Lobbying Trial to Look Inside White House
Lobbying Trial: the Case of the E-Mails and Bush Administration's Former Top Procurement Official


WASHINGTON May 23, 2006 (AP)— The first trial in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal will offer a raw look inside a Washington lobbying operation, with prosecutors contending the results implicate the top procurement official in the Bush administration.

Abramoff himself is unlikely to testify. With a number of members of Congress under investigation, prosecutors appear to be holding him back for bigger cases they are trying to pull together.

In the trial that starts Wednesday, hundreds of e-mails will show Abramoff's aggressive tactics as the lobbyist badgered David Safavian, the defendant in the case, about two government controlled properties.

Abramoff wanted the properties for himself and for his clients, and he showered Safavian with invitations including a trip to Scotland. Safavian accepted the trip, which has become the focus of the trial.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. Prediction:

Write this down and date it:

This is NEVER going to go to trial.

[SpiralHawk]

7. Top White House Procurement Official? Do they mean Jeff Gannnon?

Gannon (aka Guckert), the much-ignored Bush White House male prostitute, was not in charge of White House procurement. He was rather an object of procurement by republicon White House officials.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

It's so important to set the Bush-Republicon procurement record straight.

[UpInArms]

8. strange word: "badgered"

seems to imply that Safavian only went to Scotland to play gold because he "had" to go - the stress of not getting to play on that reknown course was just "too" much!

:nopity:

[Ian David]

9. Are they going to search his office? n/t