Safavian Sentenced To 18 Months In The Slammer

Brian Zick

Bloomberg reports: Former White House official David Safavian was sentenced to 18 months in prison for lying and obstructing justice in the investigation of disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Safavian, 39, was convicted June 20 of hiding his efforts to help Abramoff get government business and obstructing an inquiry into a golfing trip they took to Scotland. Each of the four counts on which he was convicted carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. “This was an abuse of the public's trust,'' U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said in imposing sentence today in Washington.

The text is from the poem “QUADRENNIAL” by Golden, reprinted with permission. It was first published in the Poetry Project. Inside front cover photo by Golden.
Get 10 issues for $19.95

Subscribe to the print magazine.