E-mails show connection between Abramoff and government official

A batch of 278 e-mails from Abramoff and David Safavian show how Abramoff courted, groomed and then used Safavian. From the Associated Press:

The e-mails show that Abramoff and Safavian, then chief of staff at the General Services Administration, were in frequent contact, played golf often and traded workplace gossip. Abramoff showered Safavian with offers of meals, invitations to parties as well as the trip to the fabled St. Andrew's golf course in Scotland.

One message from Abramoff, sent July 23, 2002, asks Safavian, "golf Friday? golf Sunday? golf Monday? golf, golf, golf!!"

At the same time, Abramoff is peppering Safavian with questions and requests for his help on a variety of projects, including obtaining parcels of federal land that were managed by GSA for Abramoff's charitable groups.

Safavian was originally a Congressional staffer, and was looking for a better paying job. He ended up at the General Services Administration where Abramoff was able to put Safavian's position to effective use.

This is not to declare Safavian guilty. That is for a court of law to decide. But his relationship with Abramoff was clearly inappropriately close for a civil Servant. Abramoff's power came directly from uncontrolled Republican greed.

People working in government are under different rules from those that apply to private businesses. This is one reason (among many) why businessmen cannot easily transfer their talents to government and make government work better.