Volz said on the stand that he viewed Safavian and Ney, respectively, as federal agency and Capitol Hill 'champions' who helped Abramoff and his clients with inside information and assistance.
Prosecutors say Safavian, as General Services Administration chief of staff, was trying to help Abramoff obtain federal land known as White Oak in a Washington suburb for a school Abramoff had started. Safavian has denied any wrongdoing, and his attorney tried yesterday to show that Volz didn't have personal knowledge that Safavian received improper gifts on the Scotland trip, noting that her client had reimbursed Abramoff $3,100 for the trip.
Volz testified, however, that as far as he knew, the public officials on the trip did not pay for drinks, meals, golf at the storied Old Course at St. Andrews or a stop on the way home in London at a $500-a-night hotel.
And some additional Republicans ties to Abramoff have gotten more publicly exposed, Reps. Ney, Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Don Young (R-AK), and Steven LaTourette (R-OH).
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Ney Abramoff Republican Culture Of Corruption
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