Figure in Abramoff scandal gets a year in prison

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — The former top procurement official in George W. Bush's administration has been sentenced to a year in prison for lying about his relationship with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman told David Safavian that he must be punished for lying to investigators who were looking into the Abramoff scandal.

Safavian provided Abramoff with information on two pieces of government-controlled property the lobbyist wanted, and Safavian accepted a golfing junket to Scotland largely paid for by Abramoff.

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

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5inlAw-OIuy5YBrLnCl6FAi7ww7ggD9BC90800

[Frustratedlady]

1. Isn't Abramoff about due to be released?

How many more people are being investigated?

[caseymoz]

3. It's total bullshit that people say they don't know the guy.

Abramoff was a visionary for conservatism, in policy, in philosophy, in making money off politics. He headed the Young Republicans in the 1980s where he influenced the entire generation, including the junior people in the Bush Administration, most notably, Dubya. If any Republicans say they did not know him, it is a lie, just mark it down. Every one of them knew Abramoff.

He is also one of history's biggest jerks.

[bertman]

2. If it's true that Safavian has lost his job, his law license, and cannot do government contract

work, plus a year in the hoosegow, that sounds like a good start toward justice.

Of course, he can still do lobbying work and I'm sure there are plenty of big money Republicans who would gladly hire him to work for them.

[bobshin]

4. And Tom Feeney goes untouched.

Go figure.

[annabanana]

5. All together now:

Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum,

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust