Select Page

Cherchez la femme

Abramoff070323_Griles

The former number-two official at the Interior Department under Gale Norton pleaded guilty today to lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee about his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff; a tie with a romantic knot. The link between the former Deputy Secretary of the Interior, J. Steven Griles, 59, and Abramoff was Italia Federici, the head of a Italia_Federiciconservative nonprofit called the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, or CREA.
Abramoff is said to have funneled around $500,000 to her organization in exchange for access to Norton, a co-founder of CREA, and Griles, Federici’s  then paramour.

Salon has a story about Italia here.

Washington Post story here.

Former Rep. Ney chief of staff pleads guilty

Ney070226_Heaton

William Heaton, one-time chief of staff to Congressman Bob Ney, plead guilty before U.S.District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle today. In the above sketch Heaton is second from left, taking the oath; his attorney, John Nassikas, is standing next to him.

NBC’s Joel Seidman has the story here.

Former Rep. Ney has the book thrown at him

Ney070119wide

Judge Ellen S. Huvelle sentenced former congressman Bob Ney to 30 months in jail -three more than the Justice Dept. had asked for- and $6000. in fines for accepting tens of thousands of dollars in trips and other perks from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Prior to sentencing the judge received letters from citizens, most of them from Ohio,  asking her to impose the maximum sentence. One read “throw the book at him. Throw two books…”

Washington Post story here.

Safavian sentenced

Safavian061027

Safavian’s voice cracked and his wife wept as he asked for leniency, but Judge Paul L. Friedman showed little sympathy as he sentenced him to 18 months in prison for obstruction of justice.

 

Safavian

Safavian060530wide_Volz

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.