Bush Official Offered Abramoff Help

[tuvor]

The Bush administration's top procurement official offered his assistance to now-disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff as his lobbying empire began to crumble, according to e-mails released Wednesday by the White House.

"Let me know if there is anything I can do to help with damage control," David Safavian, who is now under indictment, messaged Abramoff on Feb. 22, 2004.

At the time, Safavian was working at the White House Office of Management and Budget. He later became administrator of federal procurement policy at OMB.

That morning, The Washington Post revealed how four of Abramoff's Indian tribal clients had paid $45 million, most of it to Abramoff partner Michael Scanlon.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060511/ap_on_go_pr_wh/lobbyist_probe

[Robbien]

1. This article is full of incriminating details

A few days before Abramoff's operations were exposed by The Post, Safavian expressed a willingness to put an Abramoff lobbying partner on a government acquisition advisory panel.

. . .

The day after he was ousted, Safavian wrote his friend an e-mail asking, "Are you OK? I figured you would be besieged with phone calls. So I thought an e-mail would be best. Just wanted to let you know that you're in our thoughts. Let me know if there is ANYTHING I can do."

. . .

Late in 2004, Safavian gave Abramoff a heads-up that a provision buried in a lengthy piece of legislation gave the GSA "enormous latitude" in disposing of government property. The provision was of interest to Abramoff because he had been trying to acquire land outside Washington for a private school he had founded.



Total sleeze.

[Peter Frank]

2. Dishonest Abe - Gotta love what he's done for our country... n/t

[Moderator]

3. kick

[MsMagnificent]

4. They're all in it together, just as deep

when will the entire populace stop listening to the lies --oh I mean talking points-- of Mehlman, Limbo & Hannity (et al) and realize this?

[Tight_rope]

5. I see David Safavian as Bubba's bitch in prison.