David Safavian, the former GSA chief of staff and OMB official who stood trial this summer and was found guilty of obstructing justice and making false statements about his relationship with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow.
COURTARTIST will be there.
This sketch from May 30, 2006 shows former Abramoff associate Neil Volz testifying for the government as part of his plea deal. Volz also used to be an aide to Representative Bob Ney (R-Ohio) who entered a guilty plea of his own two weeks ago. Safavian is seated between his attorneys at the table to the right.
Courtroom sketching is a form of visual journalism or reportage drawing that is slowly dying out. Where once upon a time news organization each had their own artist covering a story, today a “pool” artist often sketches for all. It is a demanding and stressful discipline where the drawing is often done directly and under tight deadline.
After forty-five years of news sketching in courtrooms and congress I’m calling it quits. It’s been sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, almost always interesting. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great people. Don’t think I’ll miss it, but a little scared of not having a deadline.
While I won’t be sketching in court anymore, I may continue to post to this blog from time to time. Not sure what that might be. I’m about to start a new assignment documenting infrastructure and construction. Could be interesting.
