Safavian Found Guilty; Zoellick Leaves After Unimpressive Tour At State

by Steve

Two noteworthy items for this morning. First, David Safavian was convicted this morning on charges of trying to cover up his ties to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Safavian is the first Bush Administration official who has been convicted due to his direct ties to Abramoff and his “pay for play” operation. We’ll see what Safavian will do now to cooperate and avoid serious time.

Secondly, Condi’s Number Two, Robert Zoellick, who wanted the Treasury job that went to his friend Henry Paulson from Goldman Sachs, is now leaving the Bush Administration to make some cash at Goldman Sachs. It leaves a big hole in Condi’s operation at a time when she is battling Cheney, Bolton, and Rummy. Note that the Post mentions all of the items in Zoellick’s portfolio that he was assigned, which included China, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Sudan, and political reform in the Middle East. Can you name one real success that Zoellick has had in any of those areas? Me neither. Zoellick is frankly overrated, as is his now-former boss. But the Post is too chicken-sh*t to say that.