WASHINGTON, April 15 (UPI) -- E-mails between convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a former ranking Bush administration official were released in Washington by U.S. prosecutors.
The details of the e-mails aren't necessarily illegal or admissible in court, but they show connections between Abramoff and the former head of the White House Office of Federal Procurement Policy, and wheeling and dealing with government officials.
The former official, David Safavian, was arrested on an obstruction of justice charge in September, three days after resigning from the procurement office.
The e-mails include Abramoff and Safavian discussing the potential sale of property owned by the General Services Administration while Safavian worked for it, The Washington Post reports.
One e-mail was a pitch from Abramoff to Safavian that the two, along with then GSA Administrator Steve Perry, take a golf trip to Scotland.
Safavian told federal investigators that Abramoff never did business with the GSA.
Barbara Van Gelder, Safavian's attorney, said the release of the e-mails was a stunt to influence the public.
