A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of the George W. Bush administration's top procurement official in the Abramoff influence-peddling scandal.
A three-judge panel in Washington rejected the arguments of David Safavian, who was convicted of lying to investigators during the investigation of Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff.
The defendant argued that his alleged lies were not relevant to the criminal investigation and that a federal judge improperly admitted evidence about the cost of a private jet Abramoff had chartered to take Safavian and others on a lavish golfing trip to Scotland.
