Trial begins for ex-Bush official tied to lobbyist - Yahoo! News

Trial begins for ex-Bush official tied to lobbyist - Yahoo! News: "Wed May 24, 2:53 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawyers on Wednesday make opening statements in the trial of a former Bush administration official who is the first person to be tried in connection with the influence-peddling scandal of lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
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David Safavian, the former chief of staff at the General Services Administration and a former White House budget official, has been charged with lying and obstructing investigations in connection with his relationship with Abramoff and their 2002 golf outing to Scotland.

Opening statements begin on Wednesday morning, then prosecutors will present their case. The trial is expected to last about a week.

Safavian, a political appointee at the GSA from May 2002 to January 2004, is charged in a five-count indictment with making false statements to Senate and GSA investigators looking into his relationship with Abramoff."