Judge OKs Abramoff subpoena

Judge OKs Abramoff subpoena

Ex-lobbyist says he knows nothing about slaying of casino boss

Friday, March 24, 2006; Posted: 3:13 p.m. EST (20:13 GMT)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) -- A judge has approved subpoenas for former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and an ex-business partner to answer questions about the mob-style slaying of the owner of a gambling fleet they bought.

Abramoff and Adam Kidan have insisted, through their attorneys, that they know nothing about the slaying of Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, who was ambushed in his car by a gunman in Fort Lauderdale a few months after the pair bought SunCruz Casinos from him.

A lawyer for Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello, one of three men charged in the 2001 slaying, wants to question Abramoff and Kidan, according to court documents. Circuit Judge Michael Kaplan approved the request Thursday, but the subpoenas had not been issued by Friday morning.

The SunCruz purchase is "at the heart" of the murder case, Moscatiello attorney Dave Bogenschutz said in court papers.

Abramoff and Kidan are not charged in the slaying but are scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday in federal court after pleading guilty earlier this year to fraud charges stemming from the purchase. Their lawyers did not return telephone calls or e-mails seeking comment Friday.

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http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/03/24/abramoff.subpoena.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Hearing Friday for Abramoff associate

Ex-Bush official linked to golf trip, efforts to acquire federal property

By Joel Seidman
NBC News Producer
Updated: 6:16 a.m. ET March 24, 2006

WASHINGTON - The influence-peddling scandal surrounding disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff heats up again on Friday when a former Bush administration official and associate of the disgraced lobbyist appears at a pretrial hearing in federal court.

David Safavian, the White House's former top procurement official, is charged with misrepresenting his connections with lobbyists — specifically, Abramoff — while working at the General Services Administration.

A key event was a lavish golf junket to Scotland in 2002, mostly paid for by a charity Abramoff controlled. Among those who went on the trip was Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio and former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed Jr.

The golf trip cost $130,000, according to court documents. The tab was officially paid for by the Capital Athletic Foundation, a nonprofit run by Abramoff, but the funding was provided by a handful of his Indian tribe lobbying clients in payments sent to the foundation. Prosecutors said Safavian gave Abramoff a check for $3,100 to cover his share of expenses associated with the trip.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11976525/from/RSS/