Procurement Policy Chief Arrested in Probe of Lobbyist Former federal procurement policy chief David Safavian has been arrested and charged with obstructing an investigation of a prominent lobbyist. OMB said Safavian resigned as administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy on Sept. 16, the same day the criminal complaint was filed. The Justice Department charged Safavian repeatedly lied to investigators about his dealings with the lobbyist, who was not named in court papers but was identified in published reports as Jack Abramoff. Abramoff is under criminal investigation for his lobbying activities on behalf of Indian casinos. In a separate matter, he was indicted in Miami last month on charges of fraud and conspiracy in connection with his purchase of casino ships. He has pleaded not guilty. He and Safavian once worked together at a law firm in Washington, The New York Times reported. The Justice Department said Safavian, while chief of staff of the General Services Administration in 2002, helped Abramoff in an attempt to acquire two GSA-controlled properties in the Washington area. Around that same time, the lobbyist allegedly paid Safavian’s way to Scotland for a golfing vacation. According to an FBI agent’s affidavit filed in D.C. federal court, Safavian told a GSA ethics officer and the GSA inspector general’s office that Abramoff was not doing business with the agency and concealed his own dealings with the lobbyist. An ongoing grand jury investigation of Abramoff turned up e-mail messages between him and Safavian about the real estate deals. According to the FBI affidavit, Abramoff told an associate in an e-mail message that his golf invitation to Safavian was a “Total business angle” because of Safavian’s position at GSA Safavian, 38, was GSA chief of staff until President Bush nominated him to head the procurement policy office early last year. He was confirmed by the Senate in November. He had previously served as a congressional staffer and a lobbyist. He could not be reached for comment. Abramoff was a close associate of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) and took DeLay on a trip to the historic St. Andrews golf course in Scotland in 2000, according to published reports. On the 2002 Scotland trip, The Washington Post reported Safavian and Abramoff were joined by Rep. Robert Ney (R-OH), chairman of the House Administration Committee, and Ralph Reed, a lobbyist and former head of the Christian Coalition. Safavian told GSA officials he later reimbursed Abramoff for the trip, according to the FBI affidavit.