Top White House official arrested

The GOP value-based facade is shattering. Today's WaPo reports David H. Safavian, "[t]he Bush administration's top federal procurement official resigned Friday and was arrested yesterday," for "lying and obstructing a criminal investigation into Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with the federal government."

Safavian, who "set purchasing policy for the entire government," was overseeing spending of Katrina relief funds as late as last week. He may be the first of many GOP faithful who will go down as result of Abramoff's current unrelated indictment in Florida.

Abramoff's allegedly improper dealings with Indian tribes -- which netted him and an associate at least $82 million in fees -- prompted the federal probe. But investigators have found that his documents and e-mails contain a trove of information about his aggressive efforts to seek favors for clients from members of Congress and senior bureaucrats.

One would guess that anyone who dealt with Abramoff will be meeting with their legal counsel soon. No telling where this investigation could go, but it could be big. We live in hope.

Update: Atrios has more along with the links. Some interesting triangulation going on here.

As he was on the job through last week he must've had a hand in setting the Katrina procurement procedures, including allowing people to go ahead and charge up to $250,000 at a time on their credit cards. He's also, well, another hack with no experience in his field.

Mr. Safavian's wife? Oh, that's Jennifer Safavian. Her job? Chief counsel on oversight and investigations on the House Government Reform Committee.

Their latest job? Heading up the sham Katrina investigation...

And they say it's the corrupt Dems running Louisiana that can't be trusted?