Safavian convicted

David Safavian, former administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, was convicted today on four felony counts of lying to investigators and obstruction of justice.

Safavian had been charged with five counts, all related to his efforts to cover up his dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to an Associated Press report.

He resigned from OFPP in September 2005, just before his arrest. He was indicted the next month. The charges, however, pertained to his earlier tenure as chief of staff at the General Services Administration. Investigators sought to learn whether Safavian improperly helped Abramoff try to acquire GSA-controlled property in and around Washington, D.C.

Safavian was charged with two counts of obstructing justice during investigations into a trip to Scotland that he went on with Abramoff and three counts of making false statements or concealing information from GSA and Senate personnel investigating the matter.

According to the AP, Safavian was acquitted of obstructing an investigation by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and convicted on the four other counts.