It's not just Jennifer Safavian.  Davis is with Tom DeLay in list of the top eight of "pay to play" politicians.  The "Bankrollers" Report by Public Citizen shows Davis is number eight of 435 Congressmen who collect money from PACs and their executives. These industries - Oil, Gambling, Pharam - are not in his district, so what is he selling?  His support to prevent investigations by the Government Reform Committee. He decides what goes on their agenda for investigations every year.  That is, Terri Schaivo, not Abu Gharib; baseball, not Abramoff.

The Democrats on his committee have been asking Davis to investigate Abramoff for four years.  Davis is only doing it now because he's been shamed into it by a thorough report by John McCain's Indian Affairs Committee that detailed how Abramoff hid his contributions.  The Indian Affairs Committee doesn't officially have juristiction to investigate this corruption - Davis and his committee have that.  However, the Indian Affairs 373-page reportlays clear the influence, the harm, and insidiuous nature of the corruption that occurred on Davis's watch.

That was a great post.

Andy Hurst is running an energetic and principled campaign against Tom Davis.  Donate to Andy now.

Andy Hurst is a great candidate because he is making efforts to reform Congress. He has not accepted any money from PACs during the campaign, which ensures that he is solely responsible to the voters of Virginia's 11th District -- not rich PACs. He has also called for some other reforms. It appears as though Hurst is not only running a "principled campaign," but will also serve based upon principles and not the need for pleasing lobbyists.

what we need to do is take this messege off line.  The Hurst campaign canvassing every Sunday at 10 AM and Saturday at 12, and they Phone Bank every Mon. and Wed. between 5-9 Pm.  Even if you can't make those times just call their Field Director and he will come back to the launch spot and get you set up and you can show up to as much of the phonbanks as you would like.

Here is the link to their up coming Canvasses and Phone Banks.  Click here.

Just this past weekend Team Hurst knocked over 700 doors !!!

Here’s a bit more on David Safavian.  I’m just copying here some relevant things that I found at http://www.democrats.org/ .  Note that his wife had responsibility for overseeing government procurement, which was her husband’s job at OMB.  If the Democrats take the house, I think it will be appropriate for them to investigate the D. Safavian-J. Safavian-Tom Davis triangle.

SAFAVIAN: THE MICHAEL BROWN OF OMB

Safavian Was Working On Katrina Relief Efforts Before Being Arrested. Safavian, in his capacity as the chief procurement official for the Office of Management and Budget, was involved in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, until he was charged and arrested for lying to a government investigator. According to the New York Times, "Mr. Safavian had recently been working on developing contracting policies for the multibillion-dollar relief effort after Hurricane Katrina." [Washington Post, 9/20/05; New York Times, 9/20/05]

Safavian's Wife Was Chief Counsel for Republicans On Committee That Would Investigate Katrina, Had Oversight Of Safavian's Work. "His wife, Jennifer Safavian, is chief counsel for oversight and investigations on the House Government Reform Committee, which is responsible for overseeing government procurement and is, among other things, expected to conduct the Congressional investigation into missteps after Hurricane Katrina." [New York Times, 9/20/05]

Safavian Had Limited Background in Procurement When Nominated by Bush. "'He doesn't have a lot of background in procurement, so the hope is that he's a good learner,' says Steven Kelman, who served as federal procurement administrator in the Clinton administration. 'I don't know where David Safavian comes out on [acquisition reform],' says Allan Burman, another former procurement chief. Angela Styles, who held the top acquisition post until last September, says Safavian has 'no apparent philosophy' on procurement issues." [www.govexec.com, 6/15/04]

Qualifications for Employment: Norquist Connections. "Safavian, in addition to once working on the Hill as an aide to lawmakers, has also been a lobbyist. He was a co-founder of the lobby and consulting shop Janus-Merritt Strategies -- with Grover Norquist, a Republican anti-tax activist -- and has lobbied for the National Indian Gaming Association, the Interactive Gaming Council, the Interactive Services Association, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, NorthPoint Communications Inc. and Covad Communications, among others." [Washington Post, 1/21/05]
DAVID SAFAVIAN: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY

Safavian Had Questionable Lobbying Past for Foreign Clients. Before working for the General Services Administration, Safavian had been a lobbyist with Jack Abramoff, and had founded the lobbying firm Janus-Merritt Strategies with conservative icon, Grover Norquist. During his time as a lobbyist, Safavian registered to lobby for various foreign entities including Abdurahman Alamoudi, who was in prison in connection with a plot to assassinate the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and Jamal Barzinji, whose home was raided by customs officials investigating possible terrorist front groups in the United States. Safavian also was registered to lobby for the African nation of Gabon, a country with a horrible human rights record, and the former President of the Republic of Congo Pascal Lissouba, who was tried and convicted in absentia of treason and embezzlement. Safavian was also registered to lobby for the government of Pakistan on arms issues. Safavian and Abramoff teamed up to lobby for the United States territory the Common Wealth of the Northern Marianas Islands' attempts to block minimum wage rules from being applied there, and lobbied for the government of Montenegro's attempts to get their assets unfrozen by the United States. [Washington Post, 9/21/05]

Safavian Lobbied For Questionable Foreign Entities, Lied About It To Senate Committee. According to lobbying disclosure forms filed by his firm, Janus-Merritt, Safavian was registered to lobby for Abdurahman Alamoudi. Alamoudi was later imprisoned for receiving funds from Libya as part of a plot to assassinate the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. In a letter to the Senate Government Affairs Committee Safavian denied that he ever had lobbied for Alamoudi. [Washington Post, 9/21/05]

Safavian "Overlooked" Questionable Lobbying Clients, When Filing Out Questionnaire For Confirmation Hearing. "Safavian also told the committee that he had 'overlooked' two other clients while preparing his initial submissions for the OMB position. He did not initially mention work as a registered foreign agent for Gabon, a country persistently rated by the United States as having a 'poor' human rights record, or his work as a registered foreign agent for Pascal Lissouba, the former president of the Republic of Congo who has been tried in absentia for treason and embezzlement." [Washington Post, 9/21/05]

THE NEXT SHOE TO DROP?

Bush Administration Officials Named in Abramoff Marianas Trip Memo. In memos dated May 6 and May 20, 1997 Bush Administration officials are named as having traveled to the Marinas Islands while working for a lobbying firm. The memo shows that David Safavian, currently the Director of Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget, was on the trip to the Marianas Islands lead by Abramoff and had his expenses picked up by the firm. [AP, 5/3/05]

Safavian and Abramoff Shared Clients at Lobbying Firm. In 1992 the United States froze all assets belonging to the Republic of Montenegro to prevent any of its funds from being used in the Slobodan Milosevic's war effort in the former Yugoslavia Republics. The Montenegrin government retained the consulting firm of Preston Gates and Ellis to help them get their assets unfrozen, and their seized property sold. According to The Legal Times, Jack Abramoff and David Safavian were assigned to work together on the Montenegrin account. [Legal Times, 8/14/95]