one down, how many more to go?

Bush Official Arrested in Corruption Probe

By R. Jeffrey Smith and Susan SchmidtWashington Post Staff Writers Tuesday, September 20, 2005; A01

The Bush administration's top federal procurement official resigned
Friday and was arrested yesterday, accused of lying and obstructing a criminal
investigation into Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with the federal
government. It was the first criminal complaint filed against a government
official in the ongoing corruption probe related to Abramoff's activities in
Washington.
The complaint, filed by the FBI, alleges that David H. Safavian,
38, a White House procurement official involved until last week in Hurricane
Katrina relief efforts, made repeated false statements to government officials
and investigators about a golf trip with Abramoff to Scotland in 2002.
It
also contends that he concealed his efforts to help Abramoff acquire control of
two federally managed properties in the Washington area. Abramoff is the person
identified as "Lobbyist A" in a 13-page affidavit unsealed in court, according
to sources knowledgeable about the probe.
Until his resignation on the day
the criminal complaint against him was signed, Safavian was the top
administrator at the federal procurement office in the White House Office of
Management and Budget, where he set purchasing policy for the entire
government.
The arrest occurred at his home in Alexandria. A man who answered
the phone there yesterday hung up when a reporter asked to speak to
Safavian.
Abramoff was indicted by federal prosecutors in Miami last month on
unrelated charges of wire fraud and conspiracy. He remains the linchpin of an
18-month probe by a federal task force that includes the Internal Revenue
Service, the Interior Department and the Justice Department's fraud and public
integrity units. His lawyer did not respond to phone calls seeking
comment.............