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<div>Dallas Republican donor Doug Deason and his billionaire father gave more than a million dollars to the pro-Trump America First PAC. Their generosity seems to have greased the pardon of David Safavian, a former federal official convicted of obstruction and perjury in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.</div><div>
</div><div>Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam Adelson, have given more than $200 million to Republican causes, including at least $30 million to Trump-related committees in recent years and $500,000 to a defense fund for Trump aides coping with special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe. They asked that Trump pardon junk-bond crook Michael Milken and got their wish. (Mrs. Adelson also got the Presidential Medal of Freedom.)</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And then there’s the Pogue family, also from Dallas, which forked over $85,000 last year jointly to the president’s reelection committee and the Republican Party — and got a gift-wrapped pardon for its patriarch, Paul Pogue, a construction magnate convicted of tax fraud. Pushing the Pogue pardon was former Sen. Rick Santorum, the Pennsylvania Republican who brayed loudly about the Rich case.</div><div>
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pardons-former-san-francisco-49ers-owner-edward-debartolo/2020/02/18/e47f9ed6-526a-11ea-9e47-59804be1dcfb_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pardons-former-san-francisco-49ers-owner-edward-debartolo/2020/02/18/e47f9ed6-526a-11ea-9e47-59804be1dcfb_story.html</a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">wapo 200</div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">no lnx</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Washington Post </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump grants clemency to high-profile individuals, including Rod Blagojevich, Michael Milken and Bernard Kerik</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Anne Gearan, </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Josh Dawsey, </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Beth Reinhard and </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Colby Itkowitz </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Feb. 18, 2020 at 4:06 p.m. PST</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">President Trump on Tuesday used his sweeping presidential pardon powers to forgive the crimes of a list of boldface names, including disgraced politician Rod R. Blagojevich, convicted junk bond king Michael Milken and former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of seven convicted white-collar criminals at the center of federal anti-corruption and tax fraud cases spanning decades, alongside four women whose cases were not as well known.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The action frees Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois, from the federal correctional facility in Colorado where he was serving out his 14-year sentence. He was convicted on corruption charges in 2011 for trying in 2008 to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“He’ll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail,” Trump told reporters. “That was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion and in the opinion of many others.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tuesday’s clemency announcements came as Trump has been flexing his power in recent days after being acquitted by the Senate on two impeachment charges. The president has removed from their jobs witnesses who testified against him and publicly weighed in on criminal cases concerning his associates while also dismissing the idea that his actions have crossed ethical or legal lines.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The pardons and commutations focus on the type of corruption and lying charges his associates were convicted of as part of the Russia investigation, once again raising the question of whether he will pardon former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and longtime adviser and friend Roger Stone. Trump said he hadn’t thought about pardoning those three but made clear he wasn’t happy with the cases brought against them.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“I think Roger Stone has been treated unfairly. I think General Flynn has been treated very unfairly,” he told reporters. “I think a lot of people have been treated very unfairly.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The executive actions announced Tuesday fit a pattern of highly personal presidential justice that largely bypasses the traditional pardon process administered by the Justice Department. Most of the people who have received clemency under Trump have been well-connected offenders who had a line into the White House or currency with his political base.</div><div>
</div><div>Most Trump clemency grants bypass Justice Dept. and go to well-connected offenders</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div>Milken received a pardon with the White House providing a long list of advocates for the wealthy financier, including Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, political donors Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Milken became a symbol of the culture of greed during the 1980s that was fictionalized in movies such as “Wall Street,” where Michael Douglas plays ruthless financier Gordon Gekko, who declares that “greed is good.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Milken rose to prominence for his role in developing high-interest-bearing securities markets, known as junk bonds, before pleading guilty in 1990 to six felony counts, including securities fraud, mail fraud and aiding in the filing of a false tax return.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Milken, a major donor to causes such as cancer research, has sought to rehabilitate his image.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Also on Trump’s pardon list were Kerik, who was convicted of tax fraud, and Edward DeBartolo Jr., the billionaire former owner of the San Francisco 49ers football team, who pleaded guilty two decades ago to charges related to his role in a corruption case against former Louisiana governor Edwin W. Edwards (D).</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="">The president also pardoned David Safavian, a senior official in the George W. Bush administration who was convicted of obstructing a federal investigation as part of the scandal surrounding lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and two lesser-known business executives, technology executive Ariel Friedler and construction company executive Paul Pogue, who were convicted of computer and tax charges. He also pardoned Angela Stanton, an author who served a six-month home sentence for her role in a stolen vehicle ring.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div>Kerik is a frequent visitor to the president’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida and recently posted a picture at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, tagging the president and bragging of “Badassry” there. He declined to comment. Safavian now works at the Trump-aligned American Conservative Union Foundation’s justice center and attacks Trump critics through his Twitter account. Blagojevich’s wife lobbied for her husband’s release, including going on Fox News to make her case.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The White House says all 11 actions help people who were treated unfairly or had repaid society through good works. Most are white men with connections to power and, in some cases, to Trump himself.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Blagojevich and Trump were well acquainted from when Blagojevich was a contestant on Trump’s show “The Apprentice” in 2010. Trump fired Blagojevich for shoddy work on a Florida theme park project, telling him, “Your Harry Potter facts were not accurate. Who did the research?”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kerik and Milken were prominent New Yorkers during Trump’s professional rise as a real estate magnate there.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“We have Bernie Kerik, we have Mike Milken, who’s gone around and done an incredible job,” Trump said, adding that Milken had “paid a big price.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The 11 clemency grants Tuesday mark the largest group Trump has announced, but it barely dents the record-setting backlog of nearly 13,000 people waiting for responses to their clemency requests.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div>The White House released a synopsis of each granted case Tuesday, including lists of supporters that reads like a who’s-who of the president’s elite orbit.</div><div>
</div><div>Nelson Peltz, who threw the president a $10 million fundraiser at his $95 million Palm Beach, Fla., house Saturday night, recommended the pardon of Milken.</div><div>
</div><div>TV personalities, including Geraldo Rivera, Andrew Napolitano and Maria Bartiromo, were cited as pardon advocates.</div><div>
</div><div>Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who advises the president, also takes on legal clients, including Friedler, who received a pardon.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div>Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, was listed as a supporter for both Milken and Kerik, who also received backing from disgraced Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was granted clemency by Trump last year. Kerik rode his prominence as Giuliani’s police chief during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to a nomination to be homeland security secretary in the Bush administration. But he soon ran into legal trouble, and his nomination was pulled.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Newsmax Media chief executive Christopher Ruddy said he had lobbied Trump on behalf of Kerik and Blagojevich.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“It was just so glaring that it was a political case,” Ruddy said of Blagojevich.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The entire GOP delegation from Illinois lobbied against the Blagojevich commutation, officials said.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“We are disappointed by the President’s commutation of Rod Blagojevich’s federal sentence. We believe he received an appropriate and fair sentence,” Reps. Darin LaHood, John Shimkus, Adam Kinzinger, Rodney Davis and Mike Bost said in a statement. “History will not judge Rod Blagojevich well.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump made phone calls to the Illinois Republicans including LaHood last week to argue that the Blagojevich sentence was unjust, two administration officials said. But the lawmakers were not convinced.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Some campaign and White House officials opposed the clemency grants — particularly for Blagojevich — believing they could be damaging politically and were unnecessary. Some officials were still seeking to talk Trump out of the actions — some of which had been in the pipeline for more than a year — this weekend.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), who signed a letter supporting the Kerik pardon, said the president “has had a lot of respect for Bernie over the years.” Rivera also signed the letter and was instrumental in the pardon, King said.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump acknowledged that in deciding whom to pardon, “a lot of times I really rely on the people that know them.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The head of the Justice Department’s pardon office during the first two years of the Trump administration told The Washington Post that he quit last year because the White House had sidelined his office in favor of taking its cues from celebrities, political allies and Fox News.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DeBartolo and Kerik were denied pardons under Obama. Friedler had never applied to the pardon office, Justice Department records show.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Most presidents in recent decades have faced accusations that they exploited the pardon power. President Bill Clinton issued pardons in the final hours of his presidency to his half brother, a Whitewater business partner, his former housing secretary and a fugitive commodities trader married to a major Democratic donor.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Under Trump, however, politically motivated grants have become the rule, not the exception.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Nearly all of those selected had been sentenced under the mandatory-minimum penalties deployed during the “war on drugs” that critics say disproportionately punished minority communities. Nearly all of the people who received commutations from Obama were men and nearly 80 percent were African American and Hispanic, according to a report by the U.S. Sentencing Commission.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Obama granted an unprecedented number of commutations, about 1,700, under a sweeping initiative that prioritized nonviolent drug offenders</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The program ended when Trump took office. He has granted clemency to only one African American man so far: the late boxer Jack Johnson.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The White House also announced Tuesday that Trump had granted commutations to three women convicted of nonviolent drug or fraud offenses. The cases of Tynice Nichole Hall, Crystal Munoz and Judith Negron were supported by Alice Johnson, a criminal-justice advocate who had her life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense commuted by Trump in 2018. Johnson, whose case was featured in a Trump campaign ad aired during the Super Bowl this month, had been recommended to Trump by reality star and criminal-justice advocate Kim Kardashian West.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“It’s a clemency process for the well-connected, and that’s it,” said Rachel Barkow, a New York University Law School professor and clemency expert. “Trump is wielding the power the way you would expect the leader of a banana republic who wants to reward his friends and cronies.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Blagojevich was caught on FBI wiretaps talking about trying to sell Obama’s vacated Senate seat, saying that it was a “valuable thing” and that “you don’t just give it away for nothing.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump has mentioned the Democrat’s case frequently in recent years, focusing on what Trump said was a disproportionate punishment for an offense he suggested was really just politics.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“He’s been in jail for seven years over a phone call where nothing happens — over a phone call which he shouldn’t have said what he said, but it was braggadocio, you would say,” Trump told reporters last year. “I would think that there have been many politicians — I’m not one of them, by the way — that have said a lot worse over the telephone.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump first publicly mused about commuting Blagojevich’s sentence in 2018, when he exercised his clemency powers in a string of cases and speculated about others he might pardon. Others mentioned at the time included Martha Stewart, the television personality and lifestyle mogul who was convicted in 2004 of obstructing justice and lying to investigators about a well-timed stock sale.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trump has routinely downplayed and mischaracterized the case against Blagojevich, whose trial included not only the wiretap but also witnesses testifying that he had solicited campaign cash in exchange for official acts.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In comments last year, Trump also falsely blamed Blagojevich’s treatment on “the Comey gang and all these sleazebags,” a reference to James B. Comey, the FBI director Trump fired amid the mounting investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Comey was in the private sector at the time of Blagojevich’s prosecution and conviction in 2011.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">At a fundraiser last year at his Chicago hotel, Trump polled the room on whether he should grant a pardon, taking some donors by surprise. Trump was pleased that so many people said they would be okay with it, people familiar with the event said.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Blagojevich’s turn as a contestant on Trump’s NBC reality show came after he was indicted but before his convictions. Trump praised Blagojevich at the time for having “a lot of guts” to appear on the program.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">John Wagner and Marc Fisher contributed to this report.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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pow

Which brings me to the final figure in this sordid GOP dirty tricks operation using Gary Johnson as the "patsy": Joe Hunter, the thin, salt-and-pepper bearded energy stick who stuck close to Gary Johnson that night in Chicago.It turns out that Joe Hunter is a longtime GOP communications strategist who got his start with a Missouri Republican who represented Rush Limbaugh’s home district, later moving to the Bush-Quayle team where folks like Roger Stone, Jim Lacy and Floyd Brown were busy cooking up smears, while his former boss, the Missouri Republican Bill Emerson, checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic.In 2000, we find Joe Hunter engaged in the same far-right politics of immigrant bashing and race-baiting as the rest of Johnson’s campaign team. Hunter was the official spokesman for an outfit called "Utahns For Official English". Like other immigrant-bashing groups of that time, Utahns for Official English pushed for laws making English the only official language in the Deseret Kingdom (meaning all those "reformed Egyptian"-inscribed gold plates would have to go)."Utahs For Official English" was set up by a DC-based immigrant-baiting outfit called simply <a href="http://www.us-english.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(58, 135, 173);">"U.S. English"</a> , an outfit that claimed at first to be a progressive project founded by a purported Green Party activist named John Tanton, who claimed his interest in pushing English-language laws was for the sake of the immigrants with whom he sympathized. Then some of Tanton’s private memos were leaked, revealing a deranged mind obsessed with racial eugenics and the "fertility" of dark-skinned races versus the relative infertility of the superior white races. Tanton was out to save and protect his beloved white race from contamination — sparking mass resignations from public figures tricked into believing they were serving a progressive Green Party agenda meant to help, not hurt, immigrants. Joe Hunter’s U.S. English headquarters got in trouble for hiring another white supremacist, James Lubinskas, as their communications director, until the <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2003/fall/mainstreaming-extremism" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(58, 135, 173);">Southern Poverty Law Center</a> outed Lubinskas as a longtime activist moving in the same circles as David Duke, and a former contributing editor at the racial eugenics fanzine "American Renaissance."After getting his English-only law passed, Joe Hunter was hired as the new chief of staff for Utah Republican Rep. Chris Cannon — one of the leaders of the Clinton impeachment — replacing Cannon’s outgoing chief-of-staff, David Safavian.Shortly afterwards, Safavian’s name came up as a central figure in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal. Safavian was arrested and sentenced to prison. But Chris Cannon managed to hold on to his seat until 2008, thanks to a lot of help from George W. Bush, and to the Mormon church, which made the unusual step of openly calling for Mormons in Utah to vote in the 2006 primaries, effectively defeating Chris Cannon’s rightwing primary opponent.In 2008, Joe Hunter’s boss lost in the primaries to Jason Chaffetz. No one could help Chris Cannon’s political career anymore. But before leaving, just days before the 2008 election, Chris Cannon hatched a smear rumor against President Obama: He and his brother-in-law, a Utah Republican, paid a British professor who specialized in literary frauds to claim that Obama’s memoir was ghost-written by Bill Ayers. The rumors spread like wildfire around the media, and came right back into Joe Hunter’s boss’s office as the source, shaming Chris Cannon one last time.That’s who Gary Johnson’s campaign spokesman worked for. These are the ingredients in the "Perrier" Gary Johnson calls his politics, as opposed to the "Coke-Pepsi" of the Republican-Democrats.In other words, Gary Johnson is part of the fucking problem, and in many ways worse — he’s there to make sure you understand we have no way out of this dead-end trap. And so, to recap:Gary Johnson’s campaign for the presidency to shake up the corrupt two-party system and introduce a new kind of politics outside the old paradigm of left and right, was:<ul style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-image: none; color: rgb(55, 55, 55); background-color: rgb(253, 252, 252);"><li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Managed by a Republican/Koch pollster who partnered with far-right GOP dirty tricksters and the founder of Citizens United in a smear campaign against Harry Reid;</li><li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">His spokesman worked to pass anti-immigrant English-only laws in an organization infested with fringe white supremacists, then served as chief-of-staff to one of the most corrupt Republicans in Congress, Chris Cannon, replacing Jack Abramoff’s partner-in-crime, David Safavian (who also was Grover Norquist’s business partner);</li><li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">His nonprofit "OUR America Initiative" was chartered and incorporated by Jim Lacy, one of the main promoters of birther conspiracy theories, who also backed violent racist Minutemen causes, and who runs one of the largest slate-mail operations in the country, essentially a mass elections fraud business to trick voters into voting for the wrong candidate;</li><li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The nonprofit papers that launched his campaign were filed by Maureen Otis, a central figure in the Texas Minutemen extremist movement, who also worked with Alan Keyes on nonprofits that smeared Obama as a foreign-born Muslim; Otis is also a supporter of Romney and has called for people to donate to the Romney campaign;</li></ul>And finally — Gary Johnson was a corrupt governor who privatized his prisoners with gruesome results, who wants to privatize the federal government and strip us of anything that might protect us from the Kochs and the rest of the oligarchy, and dismantle all the social programs including Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, college grants, minimum wage laws, even child labor laws — and in return, he’ll let you smoke pot. If your state votes to legalize pot, that is. If your state still wants to put you in prison for smoking pot, or even stiffen those penalties, sucks for you.That’s not Gary Johnson’s problem.

<span style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Janus-Merritt Strategies

<table><tbody><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Client Name:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;"><a href="http://www.wholobbies.us/client/ISLAMIC%20INSTITUTE" style=" color: rgb(39, 83, 122);">ISLAMIC INSTITUTE</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Contact:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">DAVID SAFAVIAN</td></tr><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Client Country:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">USA</td></tr><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Client State:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA</td></tr></tbody></table>

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<h3 style=" padding: 3px 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; width: 200px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Registrant</h3>

<table><tbody><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Registrant Name:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;"><a href="http://www.wholobbies.us/registrant/JANUS-MERRITT%20STRATEGIES" style=" color: rgb(39, 83, 122);">JANUS-MERRITT STRATEGIES</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Address:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">1666 K STREET, SUITE # 1200 WASHINGTON, DC 20006</td></tr><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">Registrant Country:</td><td style=" padding-left: 25px;">USA</td></tr></tbody></table>

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<h3 style=" padding: 3px 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; width: 200px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lobbyists</h3>

<table><tbody><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;"><a href="http://www.wholobbies.us/lobbyist/NASHASHIBI,%20OMAR" style=" color: rgb(39, 83, 122);">NASHASHIBI, OMAR</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" padding-left: 25px;"><a href="http://www.wholobbies.us/lobbyist/ROBERTSON,%20MARK%20J." style=" color: rgb(39, 83, 122);">ROBERTSON, MARK J.</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

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Janus-Merritt Strategies was a lobbying firm founded in 1997 by conservative activist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Norquist" title="Grover Norquist" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Grover Norquist</a> and then-lawyer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Safavian" title="David Safavian" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">David Safavian</a>, who later became better known as the chief of staff in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Services_Administration" title="General Services Administration" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">General Services Administration</a> and for his conviction in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_Indian_lobbying_scandal" title="Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Abramoff-Reed Indian lobbying scandal</a>.

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: bold; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 13.3px; display: inline; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>

[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#" id="togglelink" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">hide</a>] </div>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#History" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1History</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Distinguished_clientele" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1Distinguished clientele</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Dissolution_in_2001" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.2Dissolution in 2001</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Controversial_ties" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2Controversial ties</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Further_reading" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3Further reading</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4References</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 1.5em; font-family: 'Linux Libertine', Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">History<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate; font-family: sans-serif;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

The firm was originally founded as the Merritt Group, and later renamed Janus-Merritt Strategies (sometimes referred to as "Janus Merritt" or simply "Janus"). <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus_(mythology)" title="Janus (mythology)" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Janus (mythology)</a> was the two-headed god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings.

From the start, the firm had a fiercely ideological tenor: "We represent clients who really do have an interest in a smaller federal government", Safavian said in a 1997 interview with Legal Times. "We're all very ideologically driven, and have a bias in favor of free markets." He went on: "We're not letting people who offer us money change our principles."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-WS-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a>

<h3 style=" color: black; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none;">Distinguished clientele<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate; font-family: sans-serif;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Distinguished clientele" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>

Over the next five years, the firm's clients included businesses like BP America, the U.S. division of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Petroleum" title="British Petroleum" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">British Petroleum</a>. There were foreign companies like the Corporacion Venezolana de Cementos and Grupo Financiero Banorte. And there were gaming interests, including those of several Indian groups, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saginaw_Chippewa_Tribal_Council" title="Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council</a> (a client the firm shared with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff" title="Jack Abramoff" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jack Abramoff</a>), and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viejas_Band_of_Kumeyaay_Indians" title="Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Indian_Gaming_Commission" title="National Indian Gaming Commission" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">National Indian Gaming Association</a>(Janus lobbied for the latter two on the same issue, amendments to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interior_Appropriations_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Interior Appropriations Act (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Interior Appropriations Act</a>that were considered anti-Indian.)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a>

The firm was also registered as a lobbyist for the governments of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan" title="Pakistan" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Pakistan</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabon" title="Gabon" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Gabon</a>, and for<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal_Lissouba" title="Pascal Lissouba" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Pascal Lissouba</a>, the corrupt former president of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_the_Congo" title="Republic of the Congo" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Republic of the Congo</a>.

<h3 style=" color: black; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.6; background: none;">Dissolution in 2001<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate; font-family: sans-serif;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Dissolution in 2001" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>

Safavian left Janus in January 2001 to become Chief of Staff for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Representative</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cannon" title="Chris Cannon" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Chris Cannon</a>. In 2002, Janus itself was sold to Virginia-based <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_Mullen_Strategies" title="Williams Mullen Strategies" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Williams Mullen Strategies</a>.

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 1.5em; font-family: 'Linux Libertine', Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Controversial ties<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate; font-family: sans-serif;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Controversial ties" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

Perhaps the most controversial client of the lobbying firm was the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Muslim_Council" title="American Muslim Council" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">American Muslim Council</a> and<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurahman_Alamoudi" title="Abdurahman Alamoudi" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Abdurahman Alamoudi</a>, a fierce supporter of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas" title="Hamas" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hamas</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah" title="Hezbollah" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hezbollah</a>.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Senate disclosure reports on file show that for years Janus-Merritt registered as a lobbyist for Alamoudi.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

At a Senate confirmation hearing in April 2004, Safavian said that "To my knowledge, neither I nor Janus-Merritt did any work for Mr. Alamoudi."[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] "I do not know why Mr. Alamoudi was erroneously listed in the client's lobby disclosure forms." More, "I do not believe Janus-Merritt received any funds from Mr. Alamoudi."[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

On December 17, 2001, eleven months after Safavian's departure, Janus resubmitted its disclosure forms. This time the name of Alamoudi had been replaced by the name of Dr. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_al_Barzinji" title="Jamal al Barzinji" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jamal al Barzinji</a>, who is also notable as a vice president of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Institute_of_Islamic_Thought" title="International Institute of Islamic Thought" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">International Institute of Islamic Thought</a>(IIIT).[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Norquist has refused to release tax records of the firm for the period during which he and Safavian owned the company.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

Safavian told the Senate that al Barzinji, not Alamoudi, was his client. "Al Barzinji," he said, "should have been listed as the client retaining the firm for work related to Malaysian political prisoner<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_Ibrahim" title="Anwar Ibrahim" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Anwar Ibrahim</a>," referring to the deposed prime minister of Malaysia, who also was a co-founder of the IIIT.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] In fact, Barzinji had been listed as a contact, not a client, on all the disclosure forms.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

On March 20, 2002, Barzinji's home was raided by a federal task force investigating terrorist finances. A federal affidavit identifies Barzinji as the ringleader of a group suspected of aiding terrorists.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-WS-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a>

At least one of the co-registrants with Alamoudi in his services on behalf of Norquist's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Islamic_Free_Market_Institute&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Islamic Free Market Institute (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Islamic Institute</a>, Palestine-born <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Omar_Nashashibi&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Omar Nashashibi (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Omar Nashashibi</a>, went to work for Williams Mullen, serving as its director of government affairs.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[3]</a>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 1.5em; font-family: 'Linux Libertine', Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Further reading<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate; font-family: sans-serif;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Further reading" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashlandfreepress.com/The_Sweetheart_Issue" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2212%22%20height%3D%2212%22%3E%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%20d%3D%22M1.5%204.518h5.982V10.5H1.5z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.765%201H11v5.39L9.427%207.937l-1.31-1.31L5.393%209.35l-2.69-2.688%202.81-2.808L4.2%202.544z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M9.995%202.004l.022%204.885L8.2%205.07%205.32%207.95%204.09%206.723l2.882-2.88-1.85-1.852z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">Jack Abramoff's House of Cards</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Seth Gitell, "Strange Bedfellows: Grover Norquist and Abdurahman Alamoudi", Boston PhoenixOctober 4–11, 2001</li>

</ul>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 1.5em; font-family: 'Linux Libertine', Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">References<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: isolate; font-family: sans-serif;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

<li id="cite_note-WS-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-WS_1-0" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up to:a</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-WS_1-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">b</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/148kcyrb.asp?pg=2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2212%22%20height%3D%2212%22%3E%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%20d%3D%22M1.5%204.518h5.982V10.5H1.5z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.765%201H11v5.39L9.427%207.937l-1.31-1.31L5.393%209.35l-2.69-2.688%202.81-2.808L4.2%202.544z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M9.995%202.004l.022%204.885L8.2%205.07%205.32%207.95%204.09%206.723l2.882-2.88-1.85-1.852z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">Scandal Season</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up^{</a>} <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.indianz.com/News/2006/012083.asp" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2212%22%20height%3D%2212%22%3E%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%20d%3D%22M1.5%204.518h5.982V10.5H1.5z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.765%201H11v5.39L9.427%207.937l-1.31-1.31L5.393%209.35l-2.69-2.688%202.81-2.808L4.2%202.544z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M9.995%202.004l.022%204.885L8.2%205.07%205.32%207.95%204.09%206.723l2.882-2.88-1.85-1.852z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">Indianz.Com > News > Abramoff not in NIGA's camp but lobbyist came close</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up^{</a>} <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19627" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%20standalone%3D%22no%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2212%22%20height%3D%2212%22%3E%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%20d%3D%22M1.5%204.518h5.982V10.5H1.5z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.765%201H11v5.39L9.427%207.937l-1.31-1.31L5.393%209.35l-2.69-2.688%202.81-2.808L4.2%202.544z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M9.995%202.004l.022%204.885L8.2%205.07%205.32%207.95%204.09%206.723l2.882-2.88-1.85-1.852z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">FrontPage Magazine</a></li>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGyRJUyKoRz0k57bVvaOZNNeO_EGg','KciAU77DsBIj3MCxPRfc0g','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFggdMAA','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Janus-Merritt Strategies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a></h3>

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<div class="f kv SWb" style=" color: rgb(128, 128, 128); display: block; height: 17px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="Rm" style=" color: rgb(0, 102, 33); font-style: normal; font-size: 14px;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies</cite>

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Janus-Merritt Strategies was a lobbying firm founded in 1997 by conservative activist Grover Norquist and then-lawyer David Safavian, who later became better ...

<div class="osl" style=" color: rgb(119, 119, 119); margin-top: 0px;">‎<a class="fl" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#History" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGyRJUyKoRz0k57bVvaOZNNeO_EGg','1Woiokyg7tk9JNCRWy6kXg','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQ0gIIIygAMAA','','',event)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(26, 13, 171); cursor: pointer;">History</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Controversial_ties" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGyRJUyKoRz0k57bVvaOZNNeO_EGg','0yPMDSRrLXHbBQUtHba5BA','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQ0gIIJCgBMAA','','',event)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(26, 13, 171); cursor: pointer;">Controversial ties</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Further_reading" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGyRJUyKoRz0k57bVvaOZNNeO_EGg','L_Sn4hC9n2gOvlM9-pGHJA','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQ0gIIJSgCMAA','','',event)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(26, 13, 171); cursor: pointer;">Further reading</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#References" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGyRJUyKoRz0k57bVvaOZNNeO_EGg','zgBWDjZ4QNvsdoapnYRlTw','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQ0gIIJigDMAA','','',event)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(26, 13, 171); cursor: pointer;">References</a></div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Janus-Merritt_Strategies" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','2','AFQjCNERtti1YnvfXMwiZ23b9OISAcbynQ','Ymy0z7PVQa9Oz64Pwh4f-A','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFggoMAE','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Janus-Merritt Strategies - SourceWatch</a></h3>

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Nov 4, 2003 - Janus-Merritt Strategies is a lobbying firm founded by Grover Norquist. Retrieved from "http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Janus- ...</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Dw1mHo6zjKwC&pg=PA351&lpg=PA351&dq=Janus-Merritt+Strategies&source=bl&ots=3HEh11ZJ-z&sig=fosp3mtulSt1o_fTw1lgvSmnGSY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQ6AEILjAC" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Infiltration: How Muslim Spies and Subversives have ...</a></h3>

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<div class="f kv SWb" style=" color: rgb(128, 128, 128); display: block; height: 17px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="Rm" style=" color: rgb(0, 102, 33); font-style: normal; font-size: 14px;">https://books.google.com/books?isbn=141850842X</cite></div>

<div class="f slp" style=" color: rgb(128, 128, 128); display: block;"><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Paul+Sperry%22&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQ9AgILzAC" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(26, 13, 171); cursor: pointer;">Paul Sperry</a> - 2008 - ‎Political Science</div>

Letter to Secretary of the Senate by Mark J. Robertson of Janus-Merritt StrategiesLLC, 17 December 2001. 4. Affidavit in Support of Application for Search ...</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/0854309D:US-janus-merritt-strategies-llc" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','4','AFQjCNHz5NgHkSYulBEGmybhzI9Tuucu9g','vuCmTGHvVXKVG8vR1x1I4Q','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFggxMAM','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Janus-Merritt Strategies LLC: Company Profile - Bloomberg</a></h3>

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Janus-Merritt Strategies, LLC specializes in strategic positioning. The Company focuses on international and domestic clients on global basis.</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.wholobbies.us/registrant/JANUS-MERRITT%20STRATEGIES" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','5','AFQjCNHMhhhxnE0ony4mfieMH0gyL4PWBA','lLioy9KNBJghdGGgQVtmjA','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFgg3MAQ','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Registrant: JANUS-MERRITT STRATEGIES - WhoLobbies.us</a></h3>

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25+ items - Registrant: JANUS-MERRITT STRATEGIES. Client, Registrant ...

<div class="_rgd _qgd" style=" display: table-cell; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">Client</div>

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<div class="_qgd" style=" display: table-cell;">DSL ACCESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION</div>

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<div class="_qgd" style=" display: table-cell;">NORTHPOINT COMMUNICATIONS, INC</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.coursehero.com/file/pejpuq/Foundation-DC-Region-7-Janus-Merritt-Strategies-LLC-1000000-Foundation/" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','6','AFQjCNGTso0fh4ubPe3z-Op7RcCmEVIb0w','agaTQDsuoysjSKLZZF8f3Q','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFgg-MAU','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Foundation DC Region 7 Janus-Merritt Strategies, LLC ...</a></h3>

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<div class="f kv SWb" style=" color: rgb(128, 128, 128); display: block; height: 17px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="Rm bc" style=" color: rgb(0, 102, 33); font-style: normal; font-size: 14px;">www.coursehero.com › Portland State › BA › BA 301</cite>

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Foundation DC Region 7 Janus-Merritt Strategies, LLC $10000.00 Foundation Northeast 2 UNESCO from BA 301 at Portland State.</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3070917" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','7','AFQjCNHO7nEQSup8FgAdw_RiApvU3S37tA','5VZgoiRToyvpgKSOxf9wlQ','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFghFMAY','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Cannon's stands benefited former aide's ex-clients - The ...</a></h3>

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Sep 29, 2005 - Safavian joined Cannon's staff in 2001, leaving Janus-Merritt Strategies, a lucrative lobbying shop he co-founded where he advocated on ...</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2005/11/which_came_firs.html" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','8','AFQjCNGx87xNN9mc6taDNGO9-jVPDP8qUw','wWdcB2A28HWBF3cS7KhO9A','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFghNMAc','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">"Which came first, the client or the legislation?" - (POGO) Blog</a></h3>

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Nov 18, 2005 - What hasn't been reported is that Safavian intended on possibly returning to the lobbying shop he co-founded Janus-Merritt Strategies and ...</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1567690/replies?c=6" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','9','AFQjCNEuDkV8En07qDzu61w6_TGUaWhuEA','9x26CbUYwNEGxF88JZB9wg','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFghTMAg','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">View Replies - Free Republic</a></h3>

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In 1997, Safavian and Grover Norquist founded a lobbying firm, the Merritt Group, which was renamed Janus-Merritt Strategies (and is sometimes referred to as ...</div>

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<h3 class="r" style=" font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2012/11/28/grover-norquist-is-the-problem-with-washington-dc-not-the-solution/" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','10','AFQjCNEuGhKQLsfwUBBHLTllGok_PZt20A','_avUcuiH342HGI4u1GT5uA','0ahUKEwjflfb5h-TLAhVCMGMKHQvaBEkQFghZMAk','','',event)" style=" color: rgb(102, 0, 153); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Center for Security Policy | Grover Norquist is the problem ...</a></h3>

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<div class="f kv SWb" style=" color: rgb(128, 128, 128); display: block; height: 17px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="Rm" style=" color: rgb(0, 102, 33); font-style: normal; font-size: 14px;">www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/.../grover-nor...</cite>

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Nov 28, 2012 - Lobby disclosure forms originally filed by [David] Safavian's firm [co-founded with Norquist], Janus-Merritt Strategies, show that it represented .</div>

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===

Aide Was Reticent on Lobbying for Foreign Clients

By Susan Schmidt and R. Jeffrey Smith

Washington Post Staff Writers

Wednesday, September 21, 2005; Page A02

David H. Safavian, the Bush administration official arrested Monday, initially failed to disclose lobbying work he had done for several controversial foreign clients when he went before a Senate panel last year to be confirmed as chief of the White House's federal procurement office.

The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee held up Safavian's nomination for more than a year, in part because of lawmakers' concerns about lobbying work for two men later accused of links to suspected terrorist organizations, according to committee documents. Safavian did not disclose his firm's representation of the men until questioned in writing by the committee's staff, and initially failed to tell the panel he had registered as a foreign agent for two controversial African regimes.

Bush Official Arrested in Corruption Probe

The Bush administration's top federal procurement official resigned Friday and was arrested Monday, accused of lying and obstructing a criminal investigation into Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with the federal government.

The Senate panel nevertheless approved him unanimously and the Senate followed suit on Nov. 21, 2004.

Safavian was arrested Monday on charges of lying and obstructing an investigation into former powerhouse lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with the federal government. Safavian resigned his government post Friday. Yesterday, his attorney, Barbara Van Gelder, did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Senate approval of Safavian occurred two months after The Washington Post disclosed Safavian's participation in an August 2002 Scotland golf trip with Abramoff. That trip was central to the criminal complaint against Safavian unsealed on Monday.

Yesterday, a spokeswoman for committee chairwoman Susan Collins (R-Maine) said the review of Safavian's background had been thorough.

"Based on our extensive review of his qualifications and background, we had no reason to believe that Mr. Safavian had engaged in any wrongdoing," said a spokeswoman for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), the committee's senior Democrat at the time of the vote.

The record of Safavian's confirmation shows extensive questioning by the committee staff about his alleged lobbying for local Muslim leader Abdurahman Alamoudi, who in October 2000 made widely publicized comments supporting Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, at a rally in Lafayette Park.

Lobby disclosure forms originally filed by Safavian's firm, Janus-Merritt Strategies, show that it represented Alamoudi, a prominent Muslim activist, until 2001. Alamoudi has since been convicted and imprisoned for accepting money from the Libyan government as part of an alleged plot to assassinate the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

Janus-Merritt Strategies changed its lobby disclosure forms in 2001 to indicate that its client was not Alamoudi but Jamal Barzinji. In March 2002, Barzinji was named in a search warrant affidavit filed by a Customs Service official as "the officer or director" of a group of entities in Northern Virginia "controlled by individuals who have shown support for terrorists or terrorist fronts." No charges have been filed against Barzinji, and he has denied any wrongdoing.

Safavian told the committee in an April 16, 2004, letter that he and his firm never did any work for Alamoudi. He said the firm lobbied at Barzinji's request to gain U.S. support to free the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, who was imprisoned for six years.

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.

Safavian, former chief of staff at the General Services Administration, is charged with three counts of making false statements and obstructing a GSA investigation into his ties with Abramoff. Before joining the government, Safavian worked as a lobbyist with Abramoff, then founded Janus-Merritt Strategies with conservative antitax crusader Grover Norquist.

As a lobbyist, he represented the government of Pakistan on military sales matters and the Islamic Institute in an effort to promote a U.S. postage stamp commemorating Ramadan. With Abramoff, he also represented the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. protectorate, to try to block the imposition of minimum wage rules.

In its probe, the Senate committee also raised questions about a potential conflict of interest between Safavian and his wife, Jennifer, the chief counsel for oversight and investigations at the House Committee of Government Reform, which oversees federal procurement policy matters.

Safavian said his wife had pledged to recuse herself from "any matters where the conduct of officials and employees" at the Office of Management and Budget the principal issue, "as well as matters relating specifically to procurement policy, competitive sourcing, or information technology."

==

At the very least, Abramoff's relationship with White House procurements officer David Safavian shows that he made at least some inroads into the world of White House patronage. Abramoff took Safavian on one of his famous Scotland golfing junkets and reportedly was receiving help from Safavian in leasing government property. Safavian was working on the distribution of millions in federal aid to Katrina-affected regions when he was arrested, which raises all kinds of questions about what else might have been going on.

"There were so many contracts, from Katrina to Iraq - God knows what really went on in there," says Slaughter.

===

David Hossein Safavian was nominated by President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W.Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">George W. Bush</a> as Administrator, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Office of Federal Procurement Policy</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Office_of_Management_and_Budget" title="Office of Management and Budget" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Office of Management and Budget</a> (OMB) on January 22, 2004. He <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fcw.com/article90857-09-19-05-Web%26RSS=yes" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">resigned</a> Friday, September 16, 2005. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robert_A.Burton" title="Robert A. Burton" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Robert A. Burton</a>, OFPP’s associate administrator, took over "managing the office."

Convicted

On June 20, 2006, in the "first trial to emerge from the scandal surrounding" former business partner <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jack_Abramoff" title="Jack Abramoff" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jack Abramoff</a>, Safavian was "convicted on four of five felony counts of lying and obstruction" and the "verdict gave a boost to the wide-ranging influence peddling probe that focuses on Abramoff's dealings with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congress" title="Congress" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Congress</a>."

Also highlighted in the case was the name of Rep. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bob_Ney" title="Bob Ney" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bob Ney</a> (R-OH). "A key witness in the case was <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Neil_Volz" title="Neil Volz" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Neil Volz</a>, a convicted partner of Abramoff's and ex-chief of staff to Ney. Prosecutors introduced hundreds of e-mails exchanged among Safavian, Abramoff, Volz and others in 2002." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LOBBYIST_PROBE?SITE=1010WINS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[1]</a>

Indicted for Corruption

Until Safavian's arrest on September 19, 2005, for <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901859.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">making</a> "repeated false statements to government officials and investigators about a golf trip" to Scotland he took in 2002 with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jack_Abramoff" title="Jack Abramoff" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jack Abramoff</a>, the connection between Abramoff's corruption and his <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/09/20/BL2005092000753_pf.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">connections</a> to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration" title="Bush administration" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bush administration</a> had been "relatively weak." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/5299.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[2]</a>

Indicted for Felony

The new <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/press_room/press_releases/2005_4245_SafavianIndict100505.pdf" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">five-count felony indictment</a> covers the period May 16, 2002, until January 2004, when Safavian was chief of staff at the General Services Administration. Safavian has been charged with "obstructing a GSA proceeding, obstructing a U.S. Senate proceeding, and making false statements, Assistant Attorney General <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Alice_S._Fisher" title="Alice S. Fisher" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Alice S. Fisher</a> of the Criminal Division announced." "Each count carries a potential top penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine." --<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=54613" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">US Newswire</a>/<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100501640.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Washington Post, October 5, 2005</a>.

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 12px; display: inline; background: none;">Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#" class="internal" id="togglelink" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">hide</a>] </div>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#The_Arrest" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1 The Arrest</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#The_FBI_Affidavit" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2 The FBI Affidavit</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Safavian.27s_Connections" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3 Safavian's Connections</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Rooted_in_Gambling" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4 Rooted in Gambling</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Related_Links" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.1 Related Links</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Bush.27s_.22global_struggle_against_violent_extremism.22" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5 Bush's "global struggle against violent extremism"</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Related_Links_2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.1 Related Links</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Profiteering" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">6 Profiteering</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Lack_of_Credentials" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7 Lack of Credentials</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Nomination_.26_Confirmation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">8 Nomination & Confirmation</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Related_Links_3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">8.1 Related Links</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Related_SourceWatch_Resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">9 Related SourceWatch Resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-13" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#External_links" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">10 External links</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Profiles" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">10.1 Profiles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Office_of_Management_and_Budget_Policies" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">10.2 Office of Management and Budget Policies</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Documents" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">10.3 Documents</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian#Articles_.26_Commentary" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">11 Articles & Commentary</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

Safavian, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration" title="Bush administration" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bush administration</a>’s "top federal procurement officer" in the Office of Management and Budget, was arrested September 19, 2005, "based on a three-count criminal complaint filed in federal court, according to a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Justice_Department" title="Justice Department" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Justice Department</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2005/September/05_crm_490.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">statement</a>." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/092005/brief1.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[3]</a>

"The Jack Abramoff <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbying" title="Lobbying" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">lobbying</a> scandal reached into the White House," <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Dan_Froomkin" title="Dan Froomkin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Dan Froomkin</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/09/20/BL2005092000753_pf.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a> in the September 20, 2005, Washington Post, "picking off" President Bush's "top procurement official -- who just barely had time to resign before being arrested."

"The complaint, filed by the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/FBI" title="FBI" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">FBI</a>, alleges that David H. Safavian, 38, a White House procurement official involved until last week in <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hurricane_Katrina" title="Hurricane Katrina" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hurricane Katrina</a> relief efforts, made repeated false statements to government officials and investigators about a golf trip with Abramoff to Scotland in 2002," R. Jeffrey Smith and Susan Schmidt <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901859.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a> in the September 20, 2005, Washington Post.

"According to the Feds' complaint, Abramoff invited Safavian to participate in a trip to Scotland that summer to play golf at the world-famous St. Andrews course. Total tab: $100,000. Safavian received prior approval from his agency's ethics officer. But the Feds say he had neglected to mention that Abramoff at the time was seeking to lease property from the GSA and had sought Safavian's help. When a whistle-blower's complaint led to an inquiry, Safavian falsely told the GSA inspector general, and later the FBI, that Abramoff had 'no business' before the agency, the Feds charge. (Safavian's lawyer denied that Abramoff's leasing efforts constituted 'business' before the GSA and noted that Safavian reimbursed Abramoff $3,100 for the trip. Abramoff's lawyer declined to comment.)," Michael Isikoff <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9470786/site/newsweek/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a> in the October 3, 2005, issue of Newsweek.

"Mr. Safavian had recently been working on developing contracting policies for the multibillion-dollar relief effort after Hurricane Katrina." Safavian's "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," Philip Shenon and Anne E. Kornblut <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/politics/20lobby.html?pagewanted=all" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a> in the September 20, 2005, New York Times.

"And for a White House so desperate to build public confidence in its ability to respond to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W.Bush:Hurricane_Katrina" title="George W. Bush: Hurricane Katrina" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Gulf Coast disaster</a>," Froomkin added, "it doesn't exactly help that the man who up until Friday was overseeing contracting policy for the multi-billion dollar relief effort has now been charged with lying and obstructing a criminal investigation."

"The <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/files/safavianaffidavit.pdf" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">F.B.I. affidavit</a>, which was dated Friday [September 16, 2005,] and made public on Monday, said that Mr. Safavian had provided extensive, secret assistance to Mr. Abramoff in 2002, when the lobbyist wanted help on behalf of a client to arrange a lease on favorable terms for the Old Post Office Building, which was controlled by the General Services Administration. The affidavit said the client was one of several Indian tribes that Mr. Abramoff has represented," Shenon and Kornblut <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/politics/20lobby.html?pagewanted=all" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a>.

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Note: "The GSA obtains all real estate, telecommunications, supplies, protection and security resources for more than a million federal workers in federal offices around the world." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.law.msu.edu/amicus/su_2002/safavian.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[4]</a></dd>

</dl>

"The court papers said Mr. Abramoff had also sought Mr. Safavian's help in buying 40 acres at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in the Maryland suburbs of Washington to be the new home of a Jewish children's school that Mr. Abramoff had founded. That property was also under the control of the General Services Administration.

"Local real estate records suggest that neither property was acquired by Mr. Abramoff or his clients, despite his repeated requests for help in e-mail messages sent to a private account maintained by Mr. Safavian.

"The Justice Department affidavit said that even as Mr. Safavian was trying to help Mr. Abramoff in acquiring the government property in 2002, he was eagerly planning his summer golf trip with the lobbyist to Scotland. The F.B.I. affidavit also suggested Mr. Abramoff's motivation in inviting Mr. Safavian was clear. In an e-mail message, a lobbyist colleagues asked: 'Why dave? I like him but didn't know u did as much. Business angle?'," Shenon and Kornblut <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/politics/20lobby.html?pagewanted=all" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a>.

<h2 style=" color: black; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Safavian's Connections</h2>

Josh Marshall of the Talking Points Memo blog has a <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_09_18.php#006580" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">theory</a>: "Safavian was arrested with the intent of getting him to testify against Abramoff. The DOJ obviously thinks they've got a decent shot if they're targeting him specifically. Safavian's something of a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/GOP" title="GOP" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">GOP</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbyist" title="Lobbyist" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">lobbyist</a> Zelig, having ties to not only Jack Abramoff, but also <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Grover_Norquist" title="Grover Norquist" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Grover Norquist</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ralph_Reed" title="Ralph Reed" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Ralph Reed</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Joe_M.Allbaugh" title="Joe M. Allbaugh" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Joe Allbaugh</a>, Rep. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Christopher_B.Cannon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Christopher B. Cannon (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Chris Cannon</a>, and Rep. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robert_W._Ney" title="Robert W. Ney" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bob Ney</a>," Mike Disharoon <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://blog.dccc.org/mt/archives/003568.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">wrote</a> September 20, 2005.

"Like Mr. Abramoff, Mr. Safavian, a former Congressional aide, has extensive ties to prominent Republicans on Capitol Hill, throughout the executive branch and among the city's lobbying firms," Shenon and Kornblut <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/politics/20lobby.html?pagewanted=all" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a>.

"He helped start <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Janus-Merritt_Strategies" title="Janus-Merritt Strategies" style=" font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Janus-Merritt Strategies</a>, a consulting firm, with Grover G. Norquist, the head of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Conservative&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Conservative (page does not exist)" style=" font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">conservative</a> advocacy group <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Americans_for_Tax_Reform" title="Americans for Tax Reform" style=" font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Americans for Tax Reform</a> and a close political ally of the Bush administration.

"Mr. Safavian worked with Mr. Abramoff in the Washington lobbying offices of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Preston_Gates_and_Ellis" title="Preston Gates and Ellis" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Preston Gates & Ellis</a>, a Seattle-based firm. According to lobbying records, Mr. Safavian shared at least one client with Mr. Abramoff, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and also represented Microsoft, the Port of Seattle and the Dredging Contractors of America," Shenon and Kornblut <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/politics/20lobby.html?pagewanted=all" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">wrote</a>.

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Capital_Athletic_Foundation" title="Capital Athletic Foundation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Capital Athletic Foundation</a> paid $120,000 in August 2002 for Abramoff, Ney [Rep. R-OH], Ralph Reed and then-<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/General_Services_Administration" title="General Services Administration" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">General Services Administration</a> Chief of Staff David Safavian to go to St. Andrews to play golf with a stop in London on way back. "Ney later claimed that the trip’s purpose was to raise money for a foundation, but there were no fundraising events during the course of the trip." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55283-2004Sep27.html?nav=rss_nation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[5]</a></dd>

</dl>

"That the Bush Administration would turn the keys to the treasury over to this crew is beyond irresponsible. No one could be so blind as not to understand how utterly inappropriate it is that David Safavian is charged with overseeing the federal government's purchasing activities." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=%22David+Safavian%22&sm=Yahoo%21+Search&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8&b=21&u=projectusa.org/ezine/2005/09-05-grovers_supply.php&w=%22david+safavian%22&d=Pxp6L2FULesp&icp=1&.intl=us" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[6]</a>

In 2000, David Safavian was a lobbyist for <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=CDM_Sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="CDM Sports (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">CDM Sports</a>. In October 2000, he <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fsta.org/advocacy.shtml" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">addressed</a> the Fantasy Sports Trade Association concerning internet gambling, particularly the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act sponsored by Rep. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jon_Kyl" title="Jon Kyl" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jon Kyl</a>(R-Arizona).

He <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fsta.org/advocacy.shtml" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">reported</a> that "carveout language that had been negotiated to protect the fantasy sports industry" had been removed and replaced, saying that "much of the new language was drafted and pushed by the NFL." Safavian told the association that it was "unlikely any bill will move forward in 2000 and early 2001. Safavian added that this is a very serious matter and whether the industry likes it or not, the members of the House see fantasy games as the gateway drug to gambling."

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Courtney Macavinta, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://msn-cnet.com.com/2100-1017_3-204602.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Net gambling looks grim,"</a> CNET News (MSN), October 23, 1997. David Safavian represented Interactive Services Association, a group that opposed the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act sponsored by Rep. John Kyl.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-508469.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Fantasy sports ban included in Net gambling bill,"</a> MSNBC (ZDNet), March 15, 1998: "David Safavian, a lobbyist for the Interactive Gaming Council, an industry trade group."</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.house.gov/kildee/native_american_ca.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Congressional Native American Caucus, 107th Congress, 1st Session, December 13, 2001</a>. David Safavian listed as "Staff" for Chris Cannon (R-UT).</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Robert Gehrke, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/archives/2003/jun/27/515274044.html?internet+gambling" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Lawmaker's 'Net gambling motives questioned. Utah gaming opponent received political contributions from tribes with casinos,"</a> Associated Press (Las Vegas Sun), June 27, 2003: "Cannon's former chief of staff, David Safavian, was a lobbyist whose clients included the Interactive Gaming Council, the National Indian Gaming Association and gaming tribes."</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.citizensforethics.org/filelibrary/20050426_FOIA_NIGC.pdf" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Freedom of Information Act Request</a> to FOIA Officer, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Indian_Gaming_Commission&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="National Indian Gaming Commission (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">National Indian Gaming Commission</a>, from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Citizens_for_Responsibility_and_Ethics_in_Washington" title="Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington</a> (CREW), March 15, 2005: Requests information dating from after January 1, 2001, to present regarding "any contact" between named individuals and the Commission. Among those listed in the request are David Safavian.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.citizensforethics.org/filelibrary/20050426_complaint.pdf" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief</a>: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington versus National Indian Gaming Commission, re violation of FOIA Request, April 18, 2005.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">John Byrne, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Beyond_Abramoff_Gambling_lobbyist_joined_forces_with_antigambling_congressman_derailed_gambling_0901.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Beyond Abramoff: Gambling lobbyist joined with anti-gambling congressman, derailed gambling bills,"</a> The Raw Story, September 1, 2005: Safavian has "largely flown below the radar in his relationship to a massive lobbying scandal surrounding a lobbyist who siphoned millions of dollars from Indian tribes and gambling interests into conservative coffers."</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.indianz.com/News/2005/010136.asp" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Utah congressman hired ex-Abramoff associate,"</a> Indianz.com, September 2, 2005.</li>

</li></ul>

<h2 style=" font-weight: normal; color: black; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bush's "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Global_struggle_against_violent_extremism" title="Global struggle against violent extremism" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">global struggle against violent extremism</a>"</h2>

Safavian "initially failed to disclose lobbying work he had done for several controversial foreign clients when he went before a Senate panel last year [2004] to be confirmed as chief of the White House's federal procurement office.

"The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee held up Safavian's nomination for more than a year, in part because of lawmakers' concerns about lobbying work for two men later accused of links to suspected terrorist organizations, according to committee documents. Safavian did not disclose his firm's representation of the men until questioned in writing by the committee's staff, and initially failed to tell the panel he had registered as a foreign agent for two controversial African regimes," Susan Schmidt and R. Jeffrey Smith <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001758.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">reported</a> in the September 21, 2005, Washington Post.

Washington Whispers (US News & World Report) <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/040913/13whisplead_2.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">reported</a> September 13, 2004:

"A nominee to a key government procurement post has troubled some on Capitol Hill because of his ties to alleged <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Islam" title="Islam" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Islamic</a> extremists. Despite an April hearing on David Safavian 's appointment to an Office of Management and Budget job overseeing $300 billion in government contracts, the full Senate has not held a vote, in part because of lingering questions about his work for the former lobbying firm of White House ally Grover Norquist, now head of Americans for Tax Reform. Lobbying disclosure forms show Safavian worked for <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/this_just_in/documents/01848515.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Abdurahman Alamoudi</a>, who <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26090-2004Jul29.html" style=" text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">pleaded</a> [sic] guilty this summer to aiding a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Libya" title="Libya" style=" text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Libyan</a> plot to assassinate <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Saudi_Arabia" title="Saudi Arabia" style=" text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Saudi Arabian</a> Crown Prince Abdullah and was <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/10/23/muslim.indicted/" style=" text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">accused</a> by prosecutors of having ties to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Al_Qaeda" title="Al Qaeda" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">al Qaeda</a>. Safavian, however, said he never lobbied for Alamoudi. The real client was a man named <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/hall/newfullstory.asp?id=55248" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Jamal al Barzinji</a>, but that's not much better. A 2002 federal affidavit names Barzinji as the leader of a group suspected of aiding <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Terrorist" title="Terrorist" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">terrorists</a>. Safavian told the Senate his work was limited only to pitching the firm to Barzinji."

</dd>

</dl>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Frank_J.Gaffney,Jr." title="Frank J. Gaffney, Jr." style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=11209" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"A Troubling Influence"</a> and <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.frontpagemag.com/articles/readarticle.asp?ID=11210" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"A Troubling Influence, Con't.,"</a> Front Page Magazine, December 9, 2003.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Susan Schmidt and R. Jeffrey Smith, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001758.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Aide Was Reticent on Lobbying for Foreign Clients,"</a> Washington Post, September 21, 2005.</li>

</li></ul>

<h2 style=" font-weight: normal; color: black; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hurricane_Katrina:_Profiteering" title="Hurricane Katrina: Profiteering" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Profiteering</a></h2>

"The Senate Office of Public Records has <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=3&LOB=SAFAVIAN,%20DAVID&LOBQUAL&sequence=0" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Safavian's lobby filing forms</a> online (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=3&LOB=ABRAMOFF,%20JACK&LOBQUAL&sequence=0" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">here are Abramoff's</a>). Besides representing numerous <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/indiangaming.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Indian gaming interests involved in scandals</a>, Safavian and Abramoff both had Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure (part of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.shawgrp.com/Markets/Environmental/default.aspx" style=" text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Shaw Group</a>) as a client, which is now represented by former <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/FEMA" title="FEMA" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">FEMA</a> chief and 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign manager Joe Allbaugh. (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/10/katrina.contracts.reut/index.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Shaw is now winning post-Katrina reconstruction contracts.</a>)," the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Project_On_Government_Oversight" title="Project On Government Oversight" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Project On Government Oversight</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2005/09/safavian_the_lo.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">reported</a> September 19, 2005.

<h2 style=" font-weight: normal; color: black; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration_cronyism_and_incompetence" title="Bush administration cronyism and incompetence" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Lack of Credentials</a></h2>

The Progress Report <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=917053#3" style=" font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">called</a> Safavian "the Mike Brown of contract procurement," referring to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Michael_D._Brown" title="Michael D. Brown" style=" font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Michael D. Brown</a>, the recently exposed and recently resigned/fired director of FEMA.

"The former lobbyist and Capitol Hill staffer was handpicked by President Bush to oversee federal procurement policy,... Criticized by some for lacking a background in procurement policy, he will have to prove himself as he tackles highly contentious issues such as competitive sourcing, disadvantaged businesses and suspension and disbarment procedures," Nick Wakeman <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.planetgov.com/news/crossroads.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">wrote</a> January 10, 2005, in Washington Technology.

"Here's the story in a nutshell," The Carpetbagger Report <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/5299.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">reported</a> September 20, 2005:

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Despite <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.govexec.com/features/0604-15/0604-15newsanalysis4.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">not having any relevant experience</a>, Safavian was tapped to be the most powerful procurement official in the federal government, where he proceeded to do secret favors for Abramoff, his former employer. When a General Services Administration ethics officer asked about his surreptitious activities, Safavian lied about it.</dd>

</dl>

"And just to make this story truly hilarious, also consider the fact Safavian's wife is — get this — the chief counsel for oversight and investigations on the House Government Reform Committee. And what does that committee do? <b style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://nytimes.com/2005/09/20/politics/20lobby.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">It oversees government procurement.</a>

</dd>

</dl>

</dl>

"If this were fiction, I'd find it hard to accept because it's too outlandish. And yet, this is all real. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Georgeland" title="Georgeland" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bush's America</a> is a very strange place indeed."

</dd>

</dl>

Safavian was confirmed November 21, 2004, replacing Angela Styles, "who <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0903/090403p2.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">stepped down</a> to return to the private sector in September 2003. Robert Burton had been acting OFPP administrator while Safavian awaited Senate confirmation." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/25038-1.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">[7]</a>

"His nomination was held up, along with about 150 others last year, by Senate Democrats who objected to a number of administration policies." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24738-2005Jan20.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[8]</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.senate.gov/comm/governmental_affairs/general/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=173" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Nomination Hearing for David Safavian, April 29, 2004</a>, U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.senate.gov/comm/governmental_affairs/general/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Testimony&HearingID=173&WitnessID=622" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Statement by David Safavian</a>, April 29, 2004.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.performanceweb.org/NEWS/04-0429_safavian_release.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Confirmation of Administrator for Office of Federal Procurement Policy Vital for Government Efficiency and Accountability,"</a> The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Performance_Institute&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Performance Institute (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Performance Institute</a>, April 29, 2004.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Jason Miller, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/25038-1.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Senate confirms Safavian to lead OFPP,"</a> Washington Technology, November 23, 2004.</li>

</li></ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration_scandals" title="Bush administration scandals" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bush administration scandals</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Outsourcing" title="Outsourcing" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">outsourcing</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Paul_A._Denett" title="Paul A. Denett" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Paul A. Denett</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Republican_%27culture_of_corruption%27" title="Republican 'culture of corruption'" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Republican 'culture of corruption'</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Susan_B._Ralston" title="Susan B. Ralston" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Susan B. Ralston</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/%22Team_Abramoff%22" title="" team="Team" abramoff="Abramoff" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">"Team Abramoff"</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/results/leadership/bio_390.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">The President & His Leadership Team: "David Safavian -- General Services Administration, Chief of Staff of the General Services Administration,"</a> White House Appointee Directory.</li>

<li style=" font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abramoff-Reed_Indian_Gambling_Scandal" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Abramoff-Reed Indian Gambling Scandal"</a> in the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Wikipedia</a>.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Linda Norlock, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.law.msu.edu/amicus/su_2002/safavian.html" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">"David and Jennifer Safavian Apply Legal Knowledge to Public Service in Washington,"</a> Amicus Online, Summer 2002.</li>

<li style=" font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Melissa Brown, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ilecamera.com/stories/031105/loc_20050311005.shtml" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Inside the Beltway,"</a> The Ile Camera, March 11, 2005.</li>

<li style=" font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Steve Kelman, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fcwsolutioncenter.com/article88660-04-25-05-Print" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">"Leadership, at long last. Safavian understands the needs of and threats to a value-oriented system,"</a> FCW.com, April 25, 2005.</li>

<li style=" font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/David_H_Safavian.php" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Campaign Contributions: "David H. Safavian, indicted for corruption"</a> Newsmeat.</li>

</ul>

<h3 style=" font-weight: bold; color: black; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 17px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/David_Safavian:_OMB_Policies" title="David Safavian: OMB Policies" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Office of Management and Budget Policies</a></h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/pubpress/2003-44.pdf" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Press Release: "President to Name David H. Safavian Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget,"</a> White House, November 4, 2003.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.senate.gov/_{gov_affairs/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=264}" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Title: "GSA – Is the Taxpayer Getting the Best Deal? U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs."</a> Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security, July 26, 2005. Witness list includes David Safavian.</li>

</ul>

<h2 style=" font-weight: normal; color: black; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/David_Safavian:Articles_%26_Commentary" title="David Safavian: Articles & Commentary" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Articles & Commentary</a></h2>

</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Categories</a>:

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-style: none; padding: 0px 0.5em 0px 0.25em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Corruption" title="Category:Corruption" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Corruption</a></li>

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Scandals" title="Category:Scandals" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Scandals</a></li>

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Politics" title="Category:Politics" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Politics</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Safavian</a>

===

wiki

Janus-Merritt Strategies was a lobbying firm founded in 1997 by conservative activist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Norquist" title="Grover Norquist" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Grover Norquist</a> and then-lawyer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Safavian" title="David Safavian" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">David Safavian</a>, who later became better known as the chief of staff in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Services_Administration" title="General Services Administration" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">General Services Administration</a> and for his conviction in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_Indian_lobbying_scandal" title="Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Abramoff-Reed Indian lobbying scandal</a>.

<h2 style=" color: black; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>

[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#" id="togglelink" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">hide</a>] </div>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#History" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1 History</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Distinguished_clientele" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1 Distinguished clientele</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Dissolution_in_2001" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.2 Dissolution in 2001</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Controversial_ties" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2 Controversial ties</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#Further_reading" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3 Further reading</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4 References</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">History[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

The firm was originally founded as the Merritt Group, and later renamed Janus-Merritt Strategies (sometimes referred to as "Janus Merritt" or simply "Janus"). <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus_(mythology)" title="Janus (mythology)" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Janus (mythology)</a> was the two-headed god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings.

From the start, the firm had a fiercely ideological tenor: "We represent clients who really do have an interest in a smaller federal government", Safavian said in a 1997 interview with Legal Times. "We're all very ideologically driven, and have a bias in favor of free markets." He went on: "We're not letting people who offer us money change our principles."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-WS-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a>

<h3 style=" color: black; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Distinguished clientele<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Distinguished clientele" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>

Over the next five years, the firm's clients included businesses like BP America, the U.S. division of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Petroleum" title="British Petroleum" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">British Petroleum</a>. There were foreign companies like the Corporacion Venezolana de Cementos and Grupo Financiero Banorte. And there were gaming interests, including those of several Indian groups, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saginaw_Chippewa_Tribal_Council" title="Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council</a> (a client the firm shared with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff" title="Jack Abramoff" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Jack Abramoff</a>), and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viejas_Band_of_Kumeyaay_Indians" title="Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Indian_Gaming_Commission" title="National Indian Gaming Commission" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">National Indian Gaming Association</a> (Janus lobbied for the latter two on the same issue, amendments to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interior_Appropriations_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Interior Appropriations Act (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Interior Appropriations Act</a> that were considered anti-Indian.)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">[2]</a>

The firm was also registered as a lobbyist for the governments of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan" title="Pakistan" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Pakistan</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabon" title="Gabon" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Gabon</a>, and for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal_Lissouba" title="Pascal Lissouba" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Pascal Lissouba</a>, the corrupt former president of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_the_Congo" title="Republic of the Congo" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Republic of the Congo</a>.

<h3 style=" color: black; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Dissolution in 2001<span class="mw-editsection" style=" -webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Dissolution in 2001" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>

Safavian left Janus in January 2001 to become Chief of Staff for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Representative</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cannon" title="Chris Cannon" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Chris Cannon</a>. In 2002, Janus itself was sold to Virginia-based <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_Mullen_Strategies" title="Williams Mullen Strategies" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Williams Mullen Strategies</a>.

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Controversial ties[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Controversial ties" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

Perhaps the most controversial client of the lobbying firm was the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Muslim_Council" title="American Muslim Council" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">American Muslim Council</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurahman_Alamoudi" title="Abdurahman Alamoudi" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Abdurahman Alamoudi</a>, a fierce supporter of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas" title="Hamas" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Hamas</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah" title="Hezbollah" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Hezbollah</a>.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Senate disclosure reports on file show that for years Janus-Merritt registered as a lobbyist for Alamoudi.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

At a Senate confirmation hearing in April 2004, Safavian said that "To my knowledge, neither I nor Janus-Merritt did any work for Mr. Alamoudi."[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] "I do not know why Mr. Alamoudi was erroneously listed in the client's lobby disclosure forms." More, "I do not believe Janus-Merritt received any funds from Mr. Alamoudi."[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

On December 17, 2001, eleven months after Safavian's departure, Janus resubmitted its disclosure forms. This time the name of Alamoudi had been replaced by the name of Dr. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_al_Barzinji" title="Jamal al Barzinji" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jamal al Barzinji</a>, who is also notable as a vice president of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Institute_of_Islamic_Thought" title="International Institute of Islamic Thought" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">International Institute of Islamic Thought</a> (IIIT).[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Norquist has refused to release tax records of the firm for the period during which he and Safavian owned the company.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

Safavian told the Senate that al Barzinji, not Alamoudi, was his client. "Al Barzinji," he said, "should have been listed as the client retaining the firm for work related to Malaysian political prisoner <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_Ibrahim" title="Anwar Ibrahim" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Anwar Ibrahim</a>," referring to the deposed prime minister of Malaysia, who also was a co-founder of the IIIT.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] In fact, Barzinji had been listed as a contact, not a client, on all the disclosure forms.[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]

On March 20, 2002, Barzinji's home was raided by a federal task force investigating terrorist finances. A federal affidavit identifies Barzinji as the ringleader of a group suspected of aiding terrorists.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-WS-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a>

At least one of the co-registrants with Alamoudi in his services on behalf of Norquist's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Islamic_Free_Market_Institute&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Islamic Free Market Institute (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Islamic Institute</a>, Palestine-born <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Omar_Nashashibi&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Omar Nashashibi (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Omar Nashashibi</a>, went to work for Williams Mullen, serving as its director of government affairs.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_note-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[3]</a>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Further reading[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Further reading" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashlandfreepress.com/The_Sweetheart_Issue" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">Jack Abramoff's House of Cards</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Seth Gitell, "Strange Bedfellows: Grover Norquist and Abdurahman Alamoudi", Boston Phoenix October 4–11, 2001</li>

</ul>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">References[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janus-Merritt_Strategies&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

<li id="cite_note-WS-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">^ <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-WS_1-0" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; -webkit-user-select: none;">Jump up to:a</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-WS_1-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">b</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/148kcyrb.asp?pg=2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">Scandal Season</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; -webkit-user-select: none;">Jump up^{</a> }<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.indianz.com/News/2006/012083.asp" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">Indianz.Com > News > Abramoff not in NIGA's camp but lobbyist came close</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus-Merritt_Strategies#cite_ref-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; -webkit-user-select: none;">Jump up^{</a> }<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19627" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%;">FrontPage Magazine</a></li>

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Safavian Janus Strat$

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