by Art Lien | Sep 6, 2008 | Congress, Courtroom
I’m often asked how many sketches I do, and the answer is always ‘that depends’. It depends on how much time I have, and whether we’re talking about finished drawings or rough sketches.
At the sentencing of Jack Abramoff this week I produced two finished drawings: the obligatory, and time consuming, wide-shot, and a tight head-shot. I might have completed more, but Nightly News dropped the story and MSNBC was only interested in the Republican Convention and the looming hurricanes.
But during the two hour hearing, which ended in the late afternoon right up against deadline, I was also working on other sketches which could have been finished if needed.
This one shows Abramoff’s lawyer Abbe Lowell arguing for his client.
This is a sketch of a member of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe delivering a victim impact statement.
Here prosecutor Mary Butler addresses the court while Abramoff looks on.
Abbe Lowell pleads for leniency in the sentencing of his client.
And, finally, the beginning of another head-shot should I need it.
If you want to read about what actually happened in the courtroom Matt Apuzzo’s story is here.
by Art Lien | Dec 15, 2007 | Congress, Courtroom
Republican environmental advocate, and co-founder of CREA, Italia Federici was sentenced yesterday to a mere two months in a half-way house for tax evasion and obstructing a Senate investigation. Ms Federici, who once worked on former Interior Secretary Gale Norton’s Senate bid, was romantically involved with the number two official at the Department of the Interior, J. Stevens Griles at the same time CREA was receiving checks totaling $500,000. from indian tribes represented by Jack Abramoff. Said her lawyer,
“each man had his own agenda and each man used her for their own pleasure and gain”.
Washington Post story here.
by Art Lien | Sep 13, 2007 | Congress, Courtroom
Neil Volz, a former aide to convicted congressman Bob Ney who went on to work for disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, was yesterday sentenced by Judge Ellen Huvelle to two years probation. He received leniency for his cooperation with the government in their prosecution of Ney and others.
The sketch below shows Volz testifying at the trial of former GSA chief David Safavian about the infamous St. Andrews golf trip.
Washington Post story here.
by Art Lien | Jun 26, 2007 | Courtroom
The former Deputy Secretary of the Interior was sentenced today to ten months in prison as well as a $30,000 fine and community service for lying to a Senate committee about his relationship with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
I posted earlier, when he entered his guilty plea in March, about how J. Steven Griles met Abramoff through his girlfriend Italia Federici, who has entered into a plea agreement of her own and is due to be sentenced in September. Today we heard of one kind of benefit Abramoff received from the relationship.
During the filming of the motion picture “National Treasure” film crews, with their trailers and equipment, had set up on the grounds of the United States Navy Memorial next to Abramoff’s restaurant “Signatures” and were blocking the valet parking area abutting the restaurant. An angry Jack Abramoff called Griles, who contacted the Special Assistant to the Director of the National Park Service who had the Park Service direct the film crew to move. Abramoff boasted in an e-mail to a colleague, “I . . . am all over their asses”.
A tearful Griles addressed the judge before imposition of sentence saying “This has been the most difficult time in my life. My guilty plea here has brought me great shame and
embarrassment. I have lost my business, my income and, most
importantly, my reputation.”
WaPo story here.
Dana Milbank’s “Washington Sketch” is a good read.
by Art Lien | Apr 24, 2007 | Courtroom
Former congressional staffer Mark Zachares, who got his post on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with the help of Jack Abramoff, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for his part in the influence -peddling scandal.
AP story is here.
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.
